The scent of a courtesan 2: The mouth

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The total package of a well groomed man or woman includes oral hygiene. One needs to ensure that they have a clean mouth with fresh smelling breath, especially if they will be interacting (closely) with other people. Below I will outline the perfect fresh breath routine that can be used morning and night.

The tools

• Alcohol mouthwash

• Fluoride / task mouthwash

• Floss / interdental

• Toothpaste 

• Toothbrush

Teeth Brushing Routine

Step 1: Alcohol Mouthwash

Surprised? I suspect so. The first step in your oral routine is getting a mouthwash with alcohol or other disinfecting agent in the top 2 ingredients. Gargle and swish the mouthwash in your mouth for the recommended time making sure to gargle at the back of your throat as well as making sure to swish it through your teeth. This will ensure that your mouth is sanitized for the next step.

Step 2: Floss

Now that you have a sanitized mouth, it’s time to work on the parts of your teeth that are hard to reach. Feel free to use floss or interdentals for this based on your ability, motivation and the size of the gaps between the teeth. I personally use interdentals and have them in several sizes depending on the size of the gaps between my teeth. I make use of a sawing motion to brush the gaps of my teeth. I also go through the tight spaces and the back teeth with the plastic sticks (first item in image) to go between all my teeth. 

Step 3: Tongue scraper

After flossing, thoroughly scrape your tongue to remove the bacteria that has built up through the night or day. This does not have to take more than a minute and greatly increases the freshness of your breath. You can also implement it into you tooth brushing routine.

Step 4: Brush

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Brush all the accessible areas of your teeth with a manual or electric toothbrush. Make sure to use the right technique for your toothbrush. You can ask your dentist or search online for the best method for your specific needs. 

After brushing your teeth, make sure to also brush your tongue if you did not include this as a separate step. Remember to brush the back of your tongue as well as plenty of bacteria resides here. After brushing your teeth, rinse with water and move on to the next step. 

There are very many different types of toothpaste that address different issues. Find one that addresses your specific issues such as whiter teeth, sensitive teeth, inflamed gums etc.. Take note of how your teeth react to any changes in your toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes increase the sensitivity of my teeth to hot and cold food and drink. Stop using any toothpaste that results in pain or discomfort in any element of your mouth.

Step 5: Final rinse

This step is very significant in your oral hygiene process. This step will reinforce step 3. Choose a mouthwash that will enhance the effects of your toothpaste. Avoid alcohol based (top 4 -5 ingredients) mouth washes for this step as these can dry out your mouth. Instead, look for mouthwashes that have a specific task like 12 hour fresh breath, teeth whitening etc.. 

Supplementary tips

Always have a mouth spray on your person. I prefer mouth spray to chewing gum because it reminds me of a cow chewing the cud. 

Drink herbal tea after each meal to help clean your breath. This is especially true for mint tea, lemon tea and ginger tea. You could also munch on an apple or celery to freshen your mouth after a garlic or onion heavy dish.   

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to ensure that your mouth is well hydrated. Especially if you are not speaking throughout the day. A dry mouth can lead to awful smelling breath. Plain hot water is great for the body but it can lead to a very dry mouth and bad breath so be sure to have some fruit or some herbal tea between the hot water if this is your drink of choice. 

Practicing all the above should lead to a day full of okay if not fresh smelling breath all day.