If there’s one thing that can ruin the most romantic holiday of the year, it’s bad breath. In a recent Match.com survey, 45 percent of the 5,000 singles polled listed fresh breath as the most important consideration when prepping for a date and both women (71 percent) and men (58 percent) said that teeth matter most when scrutinizing a potential match.
Whether you’re married or single… going on a first-date or celebrating your 25th Valentine's Day together, you don’t want bad breath to become a major embarrassment if you’re snuggling up to your sweetie and he or she asks you what you had for lunch. And you definitely don’t want to have your significant other give you breath mints as a gift like this famous celebrity couple.
Most of these ideas won’t be new to you, but if you want to be kissable this Valentine’s Day, here’s what you should do:
Before the Date
- Brush your teeth -- and tongue -- before your date
- Floss in the morning and before your date to remove any food that might be stuck in your teeth.
- Kill all existing germs in your mouth with mouthwash
- Eat yogurt or dairy-based food for breakfast to replenish good bacteria in your gut.
During Dinner
- Order a “breath-friendly” foods. If you need ideas, our Facebook Page has several head-to-toe healthy foods to choose from.
- Avoid foods that cause bad breath such as garlic and onions.
- Drink lots of water along with your other beverages during dinner.
- If you left the mints at home, gnaw on a garnish. The herbs that garnish your dinner plate can help to neutralize bad breath caused by sulfides given off by the bacteria in dental plaque.
- When the dessert menu comes your way, steer clear of that chocolate cake and instead look for a dessert full of berries, oranges or apples, which will strengthen your breath by increasing saliva production
- If you can skip the coffee, sip lemon tea. Lemons can do wonders at neutralizing bad breath!
- Bring a toothpick or flosser and head to the bathroom and make sure there’s nothing between your teeth after you eat, and rinse your mouth out with water.
- Just in case… bring a travel toothbrush & excuse yourself to the restroom.
After Dinner
- Reduce upset stomachs to ease bad breath, especially if you suffer from acid-reflux.
- Chew gum with xylitol to banish bad breath after dinner & dessert.
