Smother Your Valentine with Minty-Fresh Kisses

Everyone wants to share a kiss and a smile on Valentine’s Day. Make sure your mouth is ready for it! A good way to start is by having your teeth cleaned. This not only freshens and brightens your teeth, it can really help clear away any lingering bad breath problems you might have. Bad breath is often caused by bacteria in your mouth and sometimes is an indicator of periodontal disease. If you have chronic bad breath, it is a certain indicator that it is time for a checkup at my dental office in Valparaiso.

We also recommend using Xylitol products like mints, gum, or mouthrinse to keep your smile healthy and your breath super fresh!  Xylitol is effective because it inhibits and destroys mouth bacteria.

Here are a few other ways to get your breath super sweet and ready for kisses:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables

Crunchy fruits and vegetables help loosen trapped particles of food, clear away debris, and moisten your mouth. If those fruits and veggies are high in vitamin C, even better! Vitamin C helps create an environment that is not hospitable to oral bacteria.

• Add some yogurt to your diet

Try eating three ounces or more of probiotic yogurt. The good bacteria in yogurt lowers your levels of odor-causing compounds, while the vitamin D reduces mouth bacteria.  It should be sugar free, because sugar feeds bacteria and increases acid production which leads to cavities.

• Stop smoking

We don’t even need to discuss this one; everyone knows what smoker’s breath is like. Even brushing can’t scrub it away. And don’t forget – tobacco dries your mouth out, another contributor to bad breath. It’s a double whammy. Oh, and should we mention the staining? Not a big turn-on either.

Whatever your plans are this Valentine’s Day, consider adding a cleaning to your preparation schedule. It is the one sure way you can be sure your kisses will be as smoochable as possible. Schedule an appointment at my Valparaiso dental office today.

We’re always welcoming new patients from Valparaiso, Portage, and Chesterton.

About The Author

Dr. Joseph Majka

After earning his dental degree in 1993, Dr. Joseph Majka provided dental care for migrant farm workers’ children through the Indiana State Department of Health. Months later, he began practicing family and cosmetic dentistry. For years, he was involved in different charitable activities, providing free dental care for the underprivileged in the community. Dr. Majka has attended several continuing education courses that cover all aspects of dental care and is affiliated with numerous dental associations.

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