Bad breath, also known as halitosis is identified by unpleasant odour coming out of the mouth.
It is usually caused by a variety of factors, which are mainly due to eating habits and poor dental hygiene – not brushing your teeth regularly or negligence of your teeth.
While wearing face masks, your exhalation tends to come back at your nostrils. Thus, you are likely to smell bad breath if you have any.
How Bad Breath Comes?
The food you eat begins digestion right from the mouth. Eating foods with strong odours like garlic and onions will take a while before their odour can be removed from the mouth. This is usually until the food has undergone complete digestion and passed through the body.
The gases present in the body are being exhaled from the lungs or if in excess, exhaled through the mouth. Hence bad breath can be exhaled from the nose and mouth.
Certain foods can also be excreted through the salivary glands in the mouth. Alcohol is on the forefront here. In excess, it decreases saliva production and causes the stomach acid with bad odour to rise up to the throat.
Face mask and Bad Breath
When you continuously breath bad breath on your face mask, the smell accumulates on it, so that whenever you put it on, the bad odour hits you, even without breathing.
When your face mask has a strong smell, you should not wear it immediately. Consider putting it away so that air can let the smell out. However this depends on the type of face mask you are using.
Nigerians, so far have been accustomed to locally-made face masks (from clothing materials). This kind of face masks accumulate sweat. Thus, putting it away might not prove as effective.
Face mask that are reusable should always be washed before putting on. Wearing smelly face masks puts you at the risk of suffocation or shortness of breath.
Tips to Prevent Bad Breath
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Bad breath starts from the mouth. Always brush your teeth and tongue twice daily, preferably morning and evening. Take caution on what you put in your mouth. Sugary foods, chocolates, and alcohol are to be taken with careful moderation.
You can also clean your mouth using a Mouthwash, as it assists in freshening your breath.
Wash Reusable Face Masks
Most locally-made face masks should be washed before reusing. Most times, they accumulate sweat, and carry strong smell. Wash properly and ensure they are dried before putting on.
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