Bad breath is the main symptom of halitosis. Addressing the cause of bad breath is normally the first step toward treating this preventable condition.

Good oral hygiene and some natural remedies can help in that regard.

Good oral hygiene

Keeping your teeth healthy good oral hygiene can help reduce the need for extensive and costly dental intervention in the future. (Related: Curing bad breath in 5 easy steps to halt halitosis forever.)

Dentists generally recommend flossing your teeth before brushing them to loosen plaque that collects around and between your teeth and get rid of hidden food particles that may be stuck between your teeth and debris from areas that a toothbrush can’t reach.

Flossing is a way to stimulate the gums, reduce plaque below the gum line, reduce the risk of cavities, soreness, puffiness and unsightly redness of the gums and help lower the risk of gingivitis, which can progress to periodontitis.

Brush your teeth properly twice a day for at least two minutes. Brush the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of your teeth – moving your toothbrush gently back and forth in soft strokes or in a circular motion to remove plaque. Brush gently along the gum line to get rid of any trapped plaque or food debris. To clean the inside surfaces of your front teeth, tilt your toothbrush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.

Don’t neglect to clean your tongue before rinsing your mouth out and brushing your teeth to get rid of the biofilm, dead cells, bacteria and food debris.

Cleaning your tongue with a soft-bristled toothbrush or a flexible tongue scraper protects your taste buds, eliminates bad breath, reduces the likelihood of periodontal disease and reduces the likelihood of a black tongue.