Back in dental school, I’d stay up late studying with a plate of my wife’s chocolate chip cookies as fuel. I brushed at 1am, but still woke up with dragon breath.
I chalked it up to stress and exhaustion, but now I know it was an early lesson in how the oral microbiome drives bad breath.
Now, in my 60s, I mountain bike, ski, and can’t get away with shortcuts anymore. If I skip the basics, I notice my breath the next morning or even after a long ride.
And here’s the vulnerable part—bad breath became especially important to me once I became a dentist. I was in a mask all day with patients, after all!
The mask protected me, but also made things worse by raising CO₂, which can make breathing more shallow and increase mouth breathing. That dries out the mouth and larynx—prime conditions for bad breath.
The last thing I want is to be face-to-face with someone while worrying that I have bad breath. Mortifying. It’s even trickier during times I’ve eaten strict paleo to lose weight—keto breath is real.
Here’s exactly what I use today—and why…
1. Electrolytes First Thing
I don’t touch coffee until I’ve had 12–16 oz of water with electrolytes (link if you want to try the ones I use). Plain water alone doesn’t cut it, regardless of whether or not you’re an athlete, unfortunately. At altitude or on ski days, I double up.
2. Tongue Scraper (Stainless Steel)
Two gentle scrapes every morning with stainless steel. Any U-shaped stainless scraper will do—we sell one at Fygg, but they’re all basically the same. Don’t bother with the weird shapes or the copper trend, in my opinion it’s unnecessary. Stainless lasts forever and is easy to clean.
3. Green Tea
I use crystallized green tea (link) for the catechins. One small cup mid-morning, after electrolytes. Coffee and most teas can dehydrate you, which shows up as dry mouth and worse breath. Green tea gives me the catechins that help curb sulfur-producing bacteria—the ones behind bad breath—without the drying effect of a second (or third!) cup of coffee, but still a little caffeine boost (and a nice mid-morning treat).
4. Nitrate Mint or Greens
If I don’t get my usual nitrate-rich greens via arugula with breakfast (often alongside scrambled pastured eggs), I pop one nitrate mint (link) right after tongue scraping. Over time I’ve noticed fresher breath and better workout recovery. Think of it as feeding your good bacteria, as well as a treat for your circulation—my immune compromised son-in-law got COVID recently and these mints helped tremendously with his recovery, because they boost blood flow.
5. Xylitol Gum
After meals, especially lunch, I chew xylitol gum. The goal is 5–10 grams of xylitol per day (not necessarily 5–10 pieces of gum—most brands only have 0.5–1g per piece). Brands vary, but I look for gum that’s plastic-free and sweetened mostly with xylitol, not stevia. Just keep it away from dogs (just like you would chocolate).
6. Mouth Tape at Night
I tape every night now. If I don’t, I wake up with dry mouth and morning breath. Mouth tape keeps you breathing through your nose, which prevents dehydration of the nasal passages, pharynx, and tonsils. When those tissues dry out, they produce odors. Nose breathing also helps preserve a healthy oral microbiome—mouth breathing at night creates dysbiosis, which leads to bad smells. My wife and I prefer different brands—it’s trial and error. If you can’t tolerate it, it’s worth seeing a myofunctional therapist or ENT.
7. Oral Microbiome Testing
Twice a year, I test my oral microbiome (link). Many of my patients struggle with imbalance after antibiotics or daily use of harsh mouthwash—it wipes out good bacteria along with the bad. I haven’t taken antibiotics in decades, but even so, the balance can shift. At my last test, I showed slightly elevated “bad breath” bugs. My fix was simple: I doubled down by taking these oral probiotics as well as tongue scraping—taking it from once a day to twice a day. A follow-up test showed the levels back in range.
8. Flossing Stick
This one’s been a game-changer for me. I used to floss inconsistently. But once I got on the flossing stick bandwagon, I actually started to do it daily. Best part about a flossing stick is you can floss one-handed, while checking your email on your phone! No need to wind floss around your fingers…(link to affordable option + link to premium option).
This kit has changed since my cookie-fueled dental school nights. I can’t cut corners anymore, and honestly, I don’t want to. These habits make me feel sharper, sleep better, and keep my breath fresh after long bike rides or ski days.
Try adding just one of these this week. Notice how your breath feels by day 3 or 4—and hit reply to tell me what you noticed.
– Dr. B
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