The Bad Breath Blog

Certain foods cause bad breath like onions. Watch Dr. Katz eat an onion on air, test how smelly it makes his breath & rescue himself from halitosis.

Prevent bad breath today by listening to Dr. Katz’ instructions on ABC News about the cures.

In order to practice proper oral hygiene, you need to do more than just brush your teeth 2-3 times/day.  If you use a gum stimulator, you help rid yourself of unwanted plaque and help to keep your gums healthy.  Gum stimulators are usually long plastic or metal tools that have a soft rubber tip at the end.  The rubber tip allows one to clean and exercise his or her gums. 

Here’s the step-by-step process of using a gum stimulator:

• Point the gum stimulator at a 45-degree angle towards your gums.
• On each tooth, run the tip of the gum stimulator in a circle for 10 seconds.  If you have some serious plaque to remove, start with the front of your back teeth and work forward along the gum line.  Also do this to the back side of the teeth. 
• Stimulating your gums helps both the blood circulation and plaque removal.  Do this by moving the rubber tip back and forth along the gum line.
• During this process, rinse out your mouth periodically to help dislodge the plaque.  Use the gum stimulator between the teeth to help remove any particles of food.  Try using the stimulator once daily at least.
• If you have bleeding gums, dip your stimulator in a solution that is one part water to two parts hydrogen peroxide.  When you’re using your gum stimulator, dip it often into this solution.
• Replace the gum stimulator every 2-3 months.

You can also buy extra soft rubber tips for the stimulator, depending on how sensitive your gums are.  Try using it after you brush your teeth.  Keep in mind that using these tools also helps prevent bad breath!