Beat bad breath in Ramadan in 9 steps

CAIRO - 18 May 2018: Fasting could be hard sometimes, but it is bearable; what is not bearable is the bad breath that accompanies it.

According to the British National Health Service (NHS), there is a number of possible causes of bad breath (halitosis), like poor oral hygiene, smoking, some foods with strong flavor, crash dieting, medications … and fasting.

In Ramadan most Muslims feel embarrassed due to the bad breath resulting from the lack of water, food or any breath freshener during the long fasting hours.

You can easily overcome this problem throughout the 30 days of Ramadan if you follow those steps:

1- Wash your mouth well after Suhur (the meal Muslims eat before dawn to help them fast).

2- Use a floss to remove all the food remnants that cause bad breath; brushing alone only cleans about 60 percent of the tooth's surface.

3- Brush the tongue.

4- Use a menthol gum before sleeping.

5- Gargle using rose water.

6- Don’t consume too much dairy products at Suhur.

7- Quit smoking.

8- Eat healthy, balanced diet and avoid eating strongly flavored or spicy food.

9- Cut down on sugary food and drinks as it can increase the amount of bacteria in your mouth.