Nobody wants bad breath
And thankfully, in partnership with proper dental habits, bad breath problems can be avoided. Bad breath, also called halitosis, is due to a build-up of bacteria on the back of the tongue or in between teeth. Food, smoking, dry mouth, medical conditions, gum disease, and sinus conditions contribute to bad breath.
Should your bad breath continue for longer than 24 hours without an obvious cause, then consult with your dentist or doctor. A medical professional will need to determine if it is simply halitosis or a sign of something else (gum disease, dehydration, zinc deficiency, gastrointestinal problems, sinus infection, bronchitis, diabetes, liver or kidney failure, and cancer).
Below are 8 home remedies to prevent bad breath problems taken from The Doctors Book of Home Remedies (Rodale, 2003).
1. Spice things up – Certain herbs and spices are natural breath enhancers and can be found in your kitchen. Bag up some cloves, fennel, or anise seeds to chew after odoriferous meals.
2. Brush your tongue – “Most people overlook their tongue“, says Dr. Eric Shapira, D.D.S. “Your tongue is covered with little hair-like projections, which under a microscope look like a forest of mushrooms. Under the caps of the ‘mushrooms,’ there’s room to harbor plaque and some of the things we eat. That causes bad breath“. When you are brushing your teeth, gently sweep the top of your tongue so that food and bacteria are not left behind. These can lead to bad breath.
3. Ban certain beverages – Coffee, beer, wine, and whiskey are top liquid offenders. Each liquid leaves a residue that attaches to the plaque in your mouth, infiltrating your digestive system.
4. Carry a toothbrush – Brushing immediately after a meal and by doing this, most odors can be eliminated. “The main culprit in bad breath is a soft, sticky film of living and dead bacteria that clings to your teeth and gums“, says Dr. Shapira. “That film is called a plaque.”
Did you know that at any time, 50 trillion of these microscopic organisms in your mouth? They are in every dark crevice and eat what you eat. They produce little odors of their own and as you exhale, the bacteria exhales. So brushing away the plaque after each meal helps you to prevent some of the bad breath problems.
5. Create your own gargle mix – Combine extracts of sage, calendula, and myrrh gum in equal proportions and use this mixture to gargle four times a day. Keep the mouthwash in a tightly sealed jar at room temperature.
6. Eat your parsley – Parsley makes your dinner plate look pretty and saves your breath. Because it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer, it is perfect as is or in a drink.
7. Chew a mint or some gum – For a bad breath “quick fix“, choose a breath mint or minty come.
8. Ease up on cheese – Strong cheese such as Camembert, Roquefort, and blue cheese stay on your breath and don’t let go. Many other dairy products do the same thing so decrease dairy products to decrease bad breath problems.
To learn more about bad breath problems, click here.
