Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a condition that can have negative effects on your confidence and social life. Strong oral odour can make individuals self-conscious and avoid certain social activities, such as first dates or job interviews. Maintaining good oral hygiene is crucial to prevent unpleasant smells.
Many people out there suffer from halitosis, commonly known as bad breath. Most of these individuals feel ashamed and prefer to suffer in silence without seeking help for their oral health. However, it is important to address this issue as bad breath can be a sign of something serious that cannot be cured by a simple brushing and flossing routine. Maintaining good oral hygiene and dental hygiene is crucial in preventing and treating halitosis.
However, there are numerous causes of bad breath, lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol and poor oral hygiene are among the most common causes. Dental problems can also contribute to bad breath (halitosis). Dental cavities, coated tongue, dry mouth, gum disease, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (Acid reflux), diabetes, lung infection, kidney failure, digestive tract infection and certain medications can all result to bad breath.
The smell can originate from the tongue, nose, gums, tonsils, digestive tract, stomach, and even from some systemic diseases. (1) The best way to treat bad breath is to identify the actual cause or origin of your bad breath and eliminating the trigger from your lifestyle. In my previous article, I tried to explain more on certain lifestyle choices and disease that leads to chronic bad breath. You can check out the post here – Causes of chronic bad breath.
So, whether it is your first date or your dream job interview, trust me you don’t want to face any embarrassment or being very self-conscious due to halitosis. Make sure to take care of your teeth by brushing regularly and visiting the dentist.
I will give you a list of effective home remedies that can instantly get rid of halitosis, or bad breath. Actually, there are lots of natural home remedies for fighting bad breath, and these ones, including gum and teeth care, are among the most effective and popular.
Bad Breath Home Remedy
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a powerful remedy for halitosis. Its natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties make it effective in eliminating smell-causing bacteria and plaque. Simply swish a tablespoon of pure natural coconut oil in your mouth for one day to combat bad breath caused by oral and dental issues.
Swishing the oil around in your mouth like mouthwash for at least 5 minutes can help eliminate halitosis. Don’t forget to rinse your mouth with clean water after. You can repeat this remedy as many times as needed to freshen your breath in just one day.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a great remedy for balancing pH levels and treating halitosis. It has powerful antibacterial properties that help with bad breath. This remedy is effective when used in the morning and before bed. Mix one tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar with water to make a solution. Try it for one day to see the results.
Swish the apple cider vinegar solution around your mouth and gargle for 3 minutes to treat halitosis, then spit it out. Alternatively, you can make a solution of the apple cider vinegar plus water. Taking the solution before meals will aid digestion and treat bad breath.
3. Baking Soda
Baking soda has excellent antacid properties and can balance the pH levels in the mouth, reducing halitosis caused by high acidity. Combining baking soda with natural antimicrobial plant extracts, such as peppermint oil, can be even more effective for combating bad breath. To try this remedy, gather fresh baking soda and peppermint essential oil.
Mix the baking soda and a few drops of peppermint oil to get a coarse paste for fresher breath. Rub the paste around your mouth and teeth to combat halitosis, allowing it to stay for at least 2 minutes before rinsing it off with water. The baking soda plus peppermint oil will regulate the acid levels in your mouth, eliminating garlic breath and bacteria.
4. Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are a very effective remedy for treating halitosis. These seeds have antiseptic properties that eliminate bacteria and infections that cause bad breath. Chewing on fennel seeds and swallowing them can freshen your breath. A tablespoon of fennel seeds is all you need to combat mouth odor.
Chewing on fennel seeds will freshen your breath and also take care of any infection that might be responsible for the odor. (2) Apart from this, they also stimulate and promote healthy production of saliva in the mouth. You can use the remedy at any time when necessary.
5. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice, the oil or power have been proved to contain antimicrobial properties that will disinfect and cleanse your mouth. Swishing the mouthwash in your mouth will eliminate the bacteria that causes bad breath from your mouth. Cinnamon is more effective for treating bad breath when used alongside with honey and lemon juice. To prepare a cinnamon mouthwash, you will need to get a teaspoon of cinnamon powder, a glass of hot water, 1/2 tablespoons of honey, and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Mix the cinnamon, honey and lemon juice inside the hot water thoroughly. Ensure to shake very well in order mix all the ingredients. You can use the mouthwash once it’s cool enough, you can rinse your with the mouthwash after meal or brushing. Consitent use of this remedy for at least twice a day will stop bad breath and oral infection.
6. Lemon Juice And Yogurt
According to studies, it was reported that lemon juice has natural strong antibacterial properties that can freshen your mouth by removing the odor-causing bacteria. The healthy acids contained in the lemon juice helps to stimulate saliva production as well as fights off bad breath. You can even make this remedy more effective by adding some teaspoons of yogurt. Yogurt contains lots of good bacteria, these bacteria will help to restore the balance in the natural flora of your mouth.
You can make a lemon plus yogurt mix by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to two teaspoons of yogurt. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and apply directly around your mouth and teeth. Ensure to allow the mixture to stay for about 5 minutes before rinsing it out with clean water. The lemon juice will remove the odor-causing bacteria, while the yogurt will support the good bacteria and maintain overall neutrality and hygiene. (3)
7. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is so successfully in treating halitosis caused by oral problems, because it takes care of the actual underlying cause. The oil is a powerful antioxidant, it contains effective anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It eliminates bacteria and other harmful oral microorganisms that causes oral infection and persistent bad breath.
Depending on your choice, you can add some few drops of tea tree oil to your toothpaste and brush with it. The second option is to gargle a solution of 2 drops tea tree oil and a glass of water for 4-6 minutes. These two options are very effective to stop bad breath forever, provided that you sticked to consistent use until the bad breath is gone.
8. Green Tea
Excessive consumption of coffee and alcohol can be dangerous to your oral health. Green tea is a good alternative, the tea contains lots of natural phytochemicals that are beneficial for oral care and protection. Grean tea contains powerful antibacterial properties that helps to fight or prevent cavities and bad breath by lowering bacteria and acid levels in the mouth.
Drinking of green tea reduces the risk of developing cavities, it also eliminates odor-causing bacteria. If possible, try to avoid coffee and have about 2-3 cups of green tea every day until the smell of your breath returns back to normal.
9. Parsley
When it comes to bad breath home remedy, chewing on fresh parsley leaves is so much very effective just like other remedies that I listed on this page. Parsley contains the right amount of chlorophyll that acts as an antibacterial agent for eliminating the odor-causing bacteria found in the mouth and throat.(4) Due to the powerful antibacterial properties contained in parsley leaves, the leaves can be used to enhance fresh breath and healthy mouth.
This remedy is so easy to apply, simply chew on fresh parsley leaves, making sure that the juices touches every part of your mouth. It’s also believed that dipping of the parsley leaves into vinegar before chewing will make the leaves to be more effective.
Bottom Line
There are numerous other home remedies for treating bad breath. The nine remedies that I mentioned in this article are some of the most effective ones. However, while applying home remedies for your bad breath, brush regular at least two times every day. Ensure to use the right brush and toothpastes to clean your teeth and tongue thoroughly, since they can harbor odor-causing bacteria.
In most cases, food particles that stuck between the teeth and at the gum line can attract bacteria which will eventually lead to bad breath. Regular flossing can help to eliminate food particles and harmful bacteria from your mouth. If it turns out that the odor still persists, it is advisable that you see a doctor for proper body check-up. Chronic bad breath can also be as a result of more serious underlying health problem.