Mask wearing leading to bad breath

“Now that we’re wearing masks more often, we’re more apt to breathe through our mouth and drink less water,” says Dr. Patel. “Both of these things can lead to dry mouth, which increases your risk for bad breath, gum disease and tooth decay.” This problem has become so commonplace that many dentists have started informally referring to the condition as “mask mouth.” The easy fix: Focus on breathing through your nose while you’re wearing your mask, which will stave off the dryness that can occur with mouth breathing. Also smart: Chew sugarless gum. Research shows that the chewing action increases saliva production by 204% to ward off dry mouth.