Did you know there are more wedding proposals and weddings that occur on Valentine’s day? Valentine’s day always conjures up love romance and kisses in my mind. But are you ready to kiss? Have you taken the steps to make yourself more kissable?
Some Tips if you anticipate a kiss is to occur:
An absolute must is to have good breath. This can easily be accomplished by regular i.e. Daily brushing and yes flossing. These habits remove food particles that rot in your mouth causing bad odors. We already have bacteria in our mouth but when they overpopulate in our mouth, odors occur and can be difficult to control. That is why regular visits to your dentist is so vital to decrease the bacterial population. Remember bacteria in your mouth is easily transferred to your kissing partner.
Rotary toothbrushes like the Sonicare or Oral-B Braun are so incredibly effective in plaque control. They also make you aware of areas not properly cleansed as well as reoccurring build up. These brushes also have built in timers to keep you brushing for two minutes. But remember you must replace the brush heads every 2 to 3 months for best results.
Oral rinses can be helpful also such as the ones containing dioxychlloral hydrate which is particularly effective in removing the sulfa odors. Stay away from rinses that contain alcohol because they can burn your mouth as well as dry it out or cause tissues to slough off, not very attractive. Dry mouths can actually be more odorous than moist mouths. Remember not everyone likes the flavors that some of these very strong mouthwashes impart.
Don’t forgot to clean your tongue as well. Brushing your tongue is good but using a tongue scrapper is more effective in removing the bacteria. Think of the taste buds on your tongue as shag carpet hard to get in all the nooks and crannies. Regular use of a tongue scrapper will also keep the color of your tongue nice and pink.
Smoking. Don’t! Need I say more? You’ve had the smoking lectures. If you won’t quit for yourself quit for your kissing partner. They will thank you for your better kisses and your better health.
Avoid strong foods like raw onions or heavy garlic. Even if you think you might not score a kiss avoid these foods you never know what might happen. Eating these foods might ensure you don’t get a second chance. And don’t think breathe mints will mask these odors. You will have minty onion breath which is just as bad or worse in some cases.
Chewing sugarless gum can be helpful if you don’t have access to a toothbrush. It can remove food particles such to your teeth and it will stimulate saliva which will buffer the odors and kill bacteria. Just remember don’t kiss with the gum still in your mouth!
The rest is up to you. Happy kissing!
