How to Control Bad Bacteria in the Mouth

Bacteria in the mouth is normal. Some types of bacteria help to attack plaque that forms on the teeth; others feed off food stuck between teeth or dead skin cells on the tongue, gums and insides of the cheeks. As food rots in your mouth and bacteria die off, the result is often unpleasant breath. While the presence of bacteria is normal, using good dental-hygiene practices daily helps you control bad bacteria in the mouth for better dental health and fresher breath.

Things You'll Need

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Tongue scraper
• Antibacterial mouthwash
• Water glass
• Chewing gum

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Instructions

• 1

  Use toothpaste with fluoride for dental health.

  Squirt a small amount of toothpaste onto your toothbrush. Brush your teeth in the morning, in-between meals, after snacks and before bedtime. Toothbrushing removes stuck food that attracts bacteria, as well as bacteria that's formed in your mouth overnight due to lack of saliva.

• 2

  Floss in-between teeth each day to remove food wedged tightly between the teeth. Brushing the teeth alone is not enough to get rid of the food remnants that bacteria feed off.

• 3

  Scrape bacteria off the tongue each morning with a tongue scraper. Brushing your tongue serves only to squash bacteria and move it around on the tongue. While some bacteria may be removed with tongue-brushing, scraping removes more, especially after bacteria has collected on your tongue while you were asleep.

• 4

  Use antibacterial mouthwash to help kill bacteria and germs that contribute toward bad breath. Swish the mouthwash around your mouth for 30 seconds; then spit out.

• 5

  There are many health benefits to drinking water.

  Drink water throughout the day. Not only is water good for your body, it also washes away bad bacteria, helping to keep the mouth healthy.

• 6

  Chew sugar-free gum in-between meals. Gum-chewing produces saliva that naturally kills bad bacteria found in the mouth.