Why bother sweet-talking your date when you’ve got a mouth full of halitosis? She’s expecting fascinating insights and soigné remarks. Instead she’s met with sour eggs. Here’s how to keep this from happening.
1. Before leaving home, scrape your tongue with a tongue scraper or a spoon, placing it as far back as you can go without gagging, pressing it against your tongue and drawing it forward firmly and gently. Most of the sulfur compounds that produce halitosis lurk on the posterior part of the tongue.
2. Brush your teeth with paste that contains antibacterial agents such as chlorine dioxide or cetylpyridinium chloride. These will kill the odor, as will sulfur neutralizers like chlorine dioxide or zinc.
3. After brushing, avoid coffee, cigarettes, dairy foods, garlic, onions, sugar, and alcohol.
