Do you remember when you used to cup your hands over your face to make sure you didn’t detect bad breath before an important meeting, date, etc?

Well now, our face masks seem to be the unavoidable truth givers… Great! But it makes sense:

Natural bacteria live in our mouth all of the time. When we exhale, the moist air gets trapped in the fabric of our masks. As it evaporates, it can leave behind a smell that is… well… undesirable!

Here are a few tips to make sure your breath is as fresh as possible BEFORE wearing a mask:

Brush your teeth (after meals, and coffee).
Brush your tongue (after meals and coffee).
Floss every day.
Drink plain water regularly.
Avoid foods like garlic and onions. Even if you brush your teeth, they contain substances that find their way into your bloodstream and even into your lungs. Personally, I love both, and they are great for our immune system. So…
Don’t smoke! (that seems pretty obvious).
Chew on fresh herbs like parsley (which is supposed to combat foul-smelling sulphur compounds), or even spearmint, peppermint, basil, thyme, or cilantro.
Chew xylitol-sweetened gum after a meal. Chewing stimulates saliva production, which is good to reduce plaque acids. And you want to avoid sugar sweetened gum, because sugar produces more acid in your mouth, which in turn dissolves the enamel of your teeth..

If you notice you have bad breath that doesn’t go away with good oral hygiene, there may be an underlying problem, so you should check it with your doctor.

Taking care of your masks:

You’ll want to make sure to wash your cloth masks every day. If they are made of 100% cotton, you can throw them in the wash with hot water setting. You can also hand wash them with hot soapy water (scrub for at least 20 seconds). You can throw them in the dryer too, but if they have elastic ties, the heat may damage them.
Use a mask refresher spray. Avoid formulas that contain chemicals, and artificial fragrances. Mask sprays will also contain alcohol, so allow the alcohol to fully evaporate before putting your mask on. Our Face Mask Refresher Sprays contain 100% natural, therapeutic grade essential oils. Use them to refresh your mask, after each wash, or before wearing it, and enjoy the soothing, calming, and uplifting essential oils.