Is bad breath more common in spring? It’s not your imagination! Experts reveal why breath worsens in spring and 5 key ways to manage it
Let’s say goodbye to embarrassing odors together!
Have you noticed your breath seems worse than usual lately? Don’t worry, it may not be your imagination. As spring arrives and the weather turns drier, many people find that bad breath becomes more noticeable. Why is spring such a common time for bad breath? POPBEE has rounded up the reasons breath can worsen in spring, along with a daily care checklist to help you regain fresher breath.
- Related reading: Jisoo reveals her secrets to avoiding bloating: She loves spicy hot pot, so why doesn’t she gain weight? These little tips are the answer!
Why does bad breath get worse in spring?
View this post on Instagram
Spring weather may be pleasant, yet low humidity can be an unseen threat to oral health. As the air turns drier, saliva production naturally decreases, weakening the mouth’s antibacterial and cleansing functions. This allows plaque and tongue coating to build up, producing unpleasant odors. What’s more, allergy and cold medications commonly used in spring can worsen dry mouth. Breathing through your mouth due to nasal congestion also causes moisture in the mouth to evaporate faster, making bad breath especially noticeable in spring.
Fresh-Breath Care: 5 Simple Steps for Building Better Habits
View this post on Instagram
To deal with bad breath in spring, many people chew gum or use breath spray to temporarily mask the odor, yet this only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. To address the issue at its source, start with everyday habits and manage both your oral health and environment. These 5 simple steps can help you develop habits for fresher breath.
Breath Care #1: Clean Your Tongue Properly to Remove the Source of Odor
Many people focus only on their teeth when brushing and overlook cleaning their tongue coating. After brushing in the morning and at night, use a tongue scraper to gently scrape from the back of the tongue to the tip 3 to 4 times. Avoid applying too much pressure, which can damage the tongue’s mucous membrane. This removes bacteria and debris that have built up on the tongue coating, reducing odor at the source.
Breath Care #2: Get Regular Dental Cleanings for a Deep Oral Clean
Daily brushing can only remove food debris from the surface of your teeth, making it difficult to thoroughly clear tartar and plaque from between the teeth and along the gumline. Consider getting a professional dental cleaning every 6 months to a year to remove tartar and stubborn plaque. It can improve bad breath, help prevent periodontal disease, and protect your oral health.
Breath Care #3: Adjust Your Diet to Reduce Dry-Mouth Triggers
在 Instagram 查看這則貼文
Since dry mouth is common in spring, try to limit foods and drinks that can dehydrate you, such as coffee, strong tea, and alcoholic beverages, as they can further dry out your mouth. At the same time, drink plenty of water: 1,500-2,000 ml of warm water a day can keep your mouth moist and promote saliva production. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables also provides vitamins while increasing the amount you chew, which stimulates saliva production.
Breath Care #4: Quit Smoking and Eat Regularly to Keep Your Oral Environment Stable
Smoking can harm periodontal health, causing bleeding gums and yellow teeth, while also leaving a smoky odor that worsens bad breath. Irregular eating habits, such as binge eating or going long periods without food, can disrupt saliva production and affect the stability of the oral environment. Quit smoking, limit alcohol, and maintain a regular eating schedule with 3 meals at set times and in appropriate portions. Avoid going too long without eating.
Breath Care #5: Adjust Indoor Humidity to Ease Environmental Dryness
Since dry spring air is a major cause of dry mouth, regulating indoor humidity is especially important. Use a humidifier indoors to maintain humidity between 40% and 60%. This can relieve dry skin and dry mouth caused by a dry environment, indirectly reducing bad breath.
Join POPBEE Circle and subscribe to the POPBEE newsletter for the latest updates, and get early access to exclusive perks and discounts! Beyond this article, here are a few recent stories also worth your attention:
- You always feel uglier in the mirror after work: Office Air really sucks your soul dry, it’s not your foundation oxidizing
- Too tired to even chat after work? Save lazy-girl socializing with a “Weekly Photo Dump” of everyday snaps
- Turns out we’ve been taking time off the wrong way! Taking a day off every six weeks actually makes you happier — try the “43-day rule” to reset your life’s rhythm
