My Science School

Morning breath is often caused by the lack of saliva in your mouth. When you’re awake your mouth usually produces enough saliva to break down food particles that allow odor-causing bacteria to grow. But when you’re asleep, the saliva production slows down and the bacteria starts growing and produces what is called ‘volatile sulfur compounds’ or VSC which cause your mouth to stink.

You can reduce the effects of morning breath by practicing good oral hygiene, especially before bed. Brushing and flossing helps get rid of pockets of food that can harbor bacteria. You can also clean your tongue to remove large amounts of bacteria that have gathered to give you morning breath during the night.

To clean your tongue, you’ll need a tongue scraper, a toothbrush with soft bristles, or even a spoon. If your tongue is pink and shiny, it isn’t harboring much bacteria, but if it has a white film covering it, it’s a sign you have bad breath. If you need confirmation, lick your clean wrist and let your wrist dry. Then, smell it. If your breath is stinky, your wrist will be stinky too.

Get rid of the film by either gently scraping your tongue with the tongue scraper or the spoon. Or, alternatively, you can brush your tongue to get it clean. That way, you’ll have less of a chance of having morning breath when you wake up.

Picture Credit : Google