When fasting, of course we cannot avoid bad breath. Of course, it has become a natural thing that when we are fasting, our mouths will produce an unpleasant odor. Bad breath is often one of the problems for everyone during fasting. It cannot be denied that bad breath can make you feel uncomfortable so that it can interfere with your daily activities.
Bad breath that occurs when fasting is basically caused by the condition of our mouths being dry and not chewing any food. Although bad breath when fasting cannot be eliminated, of course there are some tips to prevent bad breath when fasting. This of course is related to your habits in maintaining healthy teeth and mouth. Like some ways to prevent bad breath when fasting that you can do right now!
Causes of bad breath during fasting
Before we discuss how we can do to prevent bad breath when fasting, one thing that is no less important is knowing why our mouth smells bad when fasting. When we are fasting, of course, the body will use fat as a source of energy to support our daily activities. This is because the glycogen reserves in the muscles and liver have been used up as a source of energy.
When fat is used as an energy source, of course the body will produce compounds called ketones. This compound certainly has a distinctive smell which can be smelled directly through your breath, especially when we are fasting. During fasting we are also not allowed to drink so that our mouths and tongues will dry out. The condition of the mouth and dry lips will make bad breath worse. When the mouth is dry, the saliva content decreases so it is very easy to cause bad breath in our mouth.
In fact, saliva functions to neutralize acids produced from plaque. This saliva certainly plays a role in removing dead cells that have accumulated on the cheeks, tongue and gums. So, these dead cells will cause bad breath.
Apart from being caused by ketone compounds, bad breath cannot be separated from the food and also the drinks we consume, both sahur and iftar. The food that we consume will of course be digested and also circulated throughout the body through the blood including to the lungs. If at dawn or if you eat food or drink that has a strong aroma, it is possible that your breath will produce an unpleasant smell.
Bad breath can also be caused by your lack of cleanliness in maintaining oral and dental hygiene. Bad breath also cannot be eliminated by just brushing your teeth. You can also use dental floss to clean between teeth and gums to clean the tongue. For this reason, bad breath when fasting cannot be eliminated easily, but at least it can be prevented by taking several ways and also tips that you can do.
Tips for Preventing Bad Breath During Fasting
When fasting, of course, your mouth tends to be dry due to lack of water intake. Of course, we can’t easily get rid of bad breath when fasting, which makes us feel insecure. But take it easy, some of the tips and methods below can at least help you overcome bad breath when fasting, including:
Enough water
The first way you can do this is by having enough water at dawn or breaking the fast. So that the mouth does not smell bad during the fasting month, it would be nice if you meet the needs of fluids when opening and also at dawn. Who would have thought that water can increase the production of saliva in our mouths. If saliva production runs smoothly, it will help our mouths stay clean and minimize bad breath.
Consume bitter tea
It is believed that bitter tea without sugar can prevent bad breath when fasting. However, it would be nice if you choose green tea over black tea. This is because green tea contains polyphenols, which are substances that can help clean bacteria in the respiratory tract area. In addition, green tea can also neutralize odors in the mouth of smokers.
Consultation to a dentist
If you don’t want your mouth to smell bad when fasting, of course this method is highly recommended for you. By consulting the dentist first to get treatment. As we all know that tartar is one of the causes where the mouth produces an unpleasant odor. For that, don’t miss your opportunity to consult with your dentist so that your mouth and teeth are well maintained during fasting.
Avoid sticky and smelly foods
Certain types of food certainly produce unpleasant odors such as jengkol and petai. During the fasting month, of course, you must first resist your desire to eat foods that can produce bad odors. If jengkol and petai are included in your favorite foods, of course you are not advised to eat these foods during the fasting month. Apart from foods that have a very strong aroma, you are also not advised to eat sticky foods because they will stick to between your teeth. In a long period of time, it will rot and produce an unpleasant odor, especially when fasting.
Don’t sleep too much
When fasting, sleep is an activity that most people do. It is not uncommon for people to avoid hunger and thirst by sleeping. However, it turns out that sleep can make the body more dehydrated. Apart from dehydration, sleep is also the cause where our mouths become dry and also lack of water. It is not surprising that people who sleep a lot while fasting will produce an unpleasant odor.
Don’t miss a toothbrush
Brushing your teeth is one way you can get rid of bad breath. When fasting doesn’t mean you shouldn’t brush your teeth. In brushing your teeth, of course you can use toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride compounds are certainly believed to be able to remove food debris and also plaque that builds up on teeth. Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes or until clean.
Clean the tongue
To get rid of bad breath while fasting, of course, it can not only be treated by brushing your teeth. However, you also need to pay attention to the cleanliness of the tongue. To get rid of bad breath, of course, you can use a special tool that can be designed to clean the tongue. This is because the remnants of dirt that are on the tongue will cause an unpleasant smell so cleaning the tongue is one way to prevent bad odors that you have to do.
Use dental floss
Food remains that slip inside your teeth, of course, over time it will cause an unpleasant odor in your mouth. Of course, dental floss can be used to clean between teeth. Usually the part between the teeth is very difficult to clean using a toothbrush so that a special tool is needed to clean between the teeth. If the leftovers are left alone, it can lead to plaque formation which can cause bad breath.
Use a non-alcoholic mouthwash
Non-alcoholic mouthwash is certainly considered effective for cleaning the mouth and teeth. After brushing your teeth, of course, don’t forget to rinse your mouth with mouthwash. The main function of this mouthwash is to clean the entire mouth area which is very difficult to reach. By using mouthwash, of course the bacteria will die immediately.
Don’t smoke at dawn
If you don’t want to have bad breath, then you have to give up smoking. If at first you are accustomed to smoking after Suhoor, then this condition will make your mouth smell worse. This is because the substances in cigarettes can cause bad breath, especially when fasting. This condition can certainly cause bad breath to be unpleasant.
Keeping the mouth clean and also odorless is of course quite difficult when fasting. However, by doing a number of ways and also tips to prevent bad breath when fasting, of course, the problem of bad breath can at least be easily overcome. Good luck!
