The month of Ramadan is the month that Muslims awaited all over the world. They flocked to fulfill the obligation of fasting, as a manifestation of obedience to God’s command. When fasting, Muslims do not eat and drink from after dawn until before breaking the fast. Although this activity is something that is very sacred to Muslims, complaints arise related to bad breath or breath odor.
In the medical world, this condition is called Halitosis.
Fasting and the appearance of bad breath (or bad breath) are closely related; And mostly caused by dry mouth during fasting. Without food and water, the salivary glands do not produce enough saliva to keep the breath fresh. Breath is a normal thing for a fasting person. However, despite being in a state of holy worship, it does not mean we can ignore the cleanliness of the body just like that, including oral hygiene. One proof that oral hygiene should be maintained during fasting is: Prophet Muhammad SAW has exemplified the use of siwak regularly during fasting. There are several ways to keep your breath fresh when fasting without breaking the rules of fasting:
- Keep your toothbrush as usual. Prioritize toothbrush after meal and do well to make sure there is no leftover food left in the mouth. You can do it while fasting. Provided no one is swallowed.
- At dawn, try to drink water at least 2-3 glasses. Drinking plenty of water can prevent bad breath during fasting caused by dry mouth. Drinking plenty of water will also keep your body fresh and avoid dehydration.
- Gargling is proven to help cleanse the mouth. When praying before praying, rinse well. This is to clean the dirt and bacteria in the mouth, especially on the sidelines of the tooth. In addition, you can use mouthwash (mouthwash) that does not contain alcohol. Alcohol is of course banned and the effect will actually dry the mouth. Make sure you do not swallow it while rinsing.