Lifestyle

10 Home Remedies To Help Get Rid Of Bad Breath

Having bad breath usually has an adverse effect on one’s self-confidence, personal as well as social life. The condition of having mouth odour is usually referred to as ‘halitosis.’

Halitosis is a condition in which a person emanates an unattractive odour from their mouth. This is often called bad breath.

However, what you should know is that bad breath can have causes that are not due to underlying disease. Examples include poor dental hygiene, lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, dry mouth, mouth infection, dehydration or even eating certain foods like onions or garlic.

However, you can successfully treat halitosis by taking care of the underlying factors causing the condition.

For self-care, you should endeavour to brush teeth and tongue after eating; floss at least once a day and replace your toothbrushes regularly. Furthermore, you should avoid eating foods that can cause bad breath such as onions and garlic. Doing these may help improve your bad breath. However, if you feel there is no improvement after trying the self-care process, then, you should try the home remedies.

Photo used for illustrative purpose

Below are some home remedies that have proven effective in helping to get rid of bad breath.

Fennel seeds

Fennel seeds have antiseptic properties that help get rid of bacteria that cause bad breath. Just chew a tablespoon of fennel seeds as this will help freshen your breath as well as stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. The antimicrobial effect in saliva prevents bad breath.

Cinnamon powder

The essential oil called Cinnamic aldehyde found in cinnamon helps to reduce the bacteria in the mouth and also covers bad breath. Boil a teaspoon of cinnamon powder; add bay leaves and some cardamom seeds. After straining the solution, use it as a mouth rinse twice a day.

Citrus or Citrus Peels

Eating any kind of citrus fruit such as orange or lemon will help stimulate saliva production in your mouth. Increased saliva will help to wash away bacteria resulting in bad breath. Whether you eat an orange or chew on some lemon peels, this is a quick solution to bad breath smell. You can also make a lemon rinse by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to one cup of water and rinse your mouth with it.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is great at balancing pH levels which makes it quite effective at improving bad breath. Add a tablespoon of vinegar into a glass of water and drink before meals. This will help improve bad breath. Alternatively, you can add some apple cider vinegar to a cup of water and simply gargle.

Water

Drinking lots of water will generally leave your mouth fresh. Swish water around your mouth every now and then. This is effective especially in getting rid of morning breath.

Cloves

You will be amazed at the difference chewing a few of these tiny seeds can do in your mouth. Just

put a few pieces of cloves in your mouth and chew them. The antibacterial properties in the cloves will help freshen your mouth. You can also boil the clove and use as a mouth wash. Simply boil a teaspoon of ground cloves with a cup of water for about 10 minutes. Use this as a mouthwash twice a day.

Baking Soda

Mix a cup of water with a teaspoon of baking soda and use it as a mouthwash and you will be amazed by the results. Although it doesn’t taste great, it will definitely do the trick. The pH level of the baking soda will help to neutralize the acids in your mouth, resulting in fresher breath.

Green Tea

Drinking green tea can temporarily refresh bad breath. You can also add some mint to your tea for a fresher breath.

Parsley sprig

Parsley effectively neutralizes bad breath due to the chlorophyll in it. Simply chew on a parsley sprig to freshen your mouth. You can also dip the parsley sprig in some vinegar before chewing it thoroughly.

Tongue scraping

You can also scrap your tongue to remove the film that is always building up on your tongue. You can use a toothbrush to remove it when you brush, however, scraping your tongue is often more effective. You can use a spoon for this purpose.

So, you should use these tips for a healthier, fresher mouth if you’re struggling with bad breath. If the odour persists, then, it is advisable to see a doctor in order to find out if there is a more serious underlying health condition causing your bad breath.