Soon community members will be to chat, exchange information on their best tips and advice for bad breath and other aspects of smelling well, vote for their favorite perfumes, and ask questions which can be forwarded to international experts. Please feel free to have a look at Dr. Rosenberg's essays on thinking creatively and enjoying life (think well and be well, above). Dr. Rosenberg is also in the process of making his aromatic children's stories available on his new Free Educational Children's stories website (opening soon). And have a look at our most recent tips below.
Also, you are invited to watch a video interview entitled "Bad Breath - A Human Condition", available now for free in three parts on our Videos page . Some 1,300 people have already had a look at it.
Recent tips for improving breath and generally smelling well:
*When's the best time to use a mouthwash for preventing bad breath? Probably it's best to use any mouthrinse at bedtime, so that its effect carries on throughout the night when saliva low is practically halted, and when oral bacteria proliferate most. Also, it's not a good idea to use toothpaste and mouthwash at the same time, as toothpaste contains anionic ingredients which can interfere with the cationic antibacterials present in many mouthwashes. When rinsing with a mouthwash, don't forget to gargle, with your tongue out, so that the mouthwash can reach the back of your tongue where most of the odor often lurks. Try saying "ahhhh" while you gargle and breathing through your nose to allow the liquid to get way back.
*What's the best way to know whether or not you suffer from bad breath? Ask an adult in your family or close friend. If there is an odor, ask whether it's coming from your mouth or nose. If it's coming mainly from your mouth, your first port of call should be a good and caring dentist. If it's coming mainly from your nose, see your general physician or an ENT specialist.
*We might be using too much soap when we shower. This causes unnecessary waste of drinking water and pollution. Soap removes the protective oily coating on our skin. So try using soap where you need to: head, face, neck, underarms, groin, butt, feet. Unless you work at a job where your whole body gets gritty or sweaty, cutting down on soaping all the other parts of your body may be good for you and the environment..
*Visiting Japan? I recommend going very easy on perfumes and after-shaves, even better to refrain from using them altogether. You'll be more of a hit.
*Summer will soon be coming to the Southern Hemisphere. Keep in mind that what we call B.O. (body odor) comes mostly from our armpits. So keep them clean (in the shower, you can scrub them with a washcloth and soap) and don't re-wear shirts or blouses that have even the slightest armpit odor. Blouses and shirts from natural fibres (such as cotton) are probably better odor-wise than synthetics.
*Add half a lemon to the dishwasher to keep calcium deposits low and to add a fragrant zest to the dishwashing. Much better than lemon-scented products.
*Why do towels sometimes smell bad soon after the laundry? It's because smelly bacteria can survive the wash cycle. If you want towels to smell fresh longer, you have to wash them at high temperatures (e.g., over 70 degrees Celsius) to kill the resident microbes. Also don't leave clothing in the washing machine after the load is finished - the dampness encourages the microorganisms to grow and stink. So dry the wash as soon as possible when it's done.
* Fine fragrance products can oxidize and go bad over time, especially if they are left out in the sun. To keep them fresh for years, it is better to store them in a dark, cool place. The refrigerator is fine. Thanks, Mike for this great tip!
*Beefeaters Beware: A recent study (published about six months ago) in the prestigious journal Chemical Senses suggest that men, on a meat diet, are less attractive to women. Seventeen men went on either a meaty or meat-free diet and thirty women smelled and scored the pads which they wore under their arms. The pads were significantly smellier and less attractive when the men had been on a meat diet. So if that woman you dream of meeting isn't giving you the time of day, then try saving a cow and the environment, and going meatless for a while. |
