How many times has it happened that you had to take a step back while you are talking to someone because of his/her bad breath problem? We all have experienced how embarrassing it is to talk to someone who has a bad breath. With this feature on home remedies for bad breath, we plan to tackle the cause and solutions for this issue. It can be even more disturbing when a friend or relative or worse, your girlfriend points it that the same problem plagues you. The medical term for bad breath is Halitosis. What we all know is that poor oral health can lead to halitosis but what we don’t know is that it can be easily avoided by simple oral and dental care. Read on for some simple home remedies for bad breath.
Reasons: Firstly, we need to pinpoint the reasons that cause halitosis as this will ultimately help in getting rid of it. Bad breath is a result or a culmination of various factors combined like smoking, dry mouth, diseases of the gum, the kind of food we eat and lastly, consumption of alcohol to name a few.
Remedies:
1 – Use of Tongue scraper helps in removing all the dead cells and bacteria from the tongue. It is an instrument easily found in any medical store. It has to be used gently and you should make sure that you rinse your mouth properly after using it. Regular and daily use of scraper is very helpful in eradicating bad breath.
2 – Using a dental floss is very helpful. However the right way to use it is important. Start by selecting floss 16 to 18 inches long. Slip it between your teeth to form a U shape. With a gently rubbing motion get rid of food particles. Floss your teeth at least once daily.
3 – Next time you are hungry between meals, help yourself to some crunchy vegetables and fruits such as apples, carrots etc. instead of a bag of potato chips. These fruits and vegetables are instrumental in removing bacteria and plaque from teeth thereby preventing bad breath.
4 – Using a gargle of baking soda helps in keeping the tongue bacteria free. Mix baking soda with warm water for gargling. It is extremely safe and is a very good remedy to prevent bad breaths. Also drink plenty of water or simply put keep your body adequately hydrated. Water helps in keeping your mouth moist which in turn reduces bad breath.
5 – Use mouthwashes containing essential oils such as plant oils, they are known to reduce bad breath. However never try and prepare a mouthwash at home. It is always advisable to buy a mouth wash from the market. It’s very important that alcohol based mouth washes be avoided.
6 – Herbs are known to refresh the breath, so you can make it a point to chew on some parsley, spearmint or rosemary. Preparing tea with Fenugreek seeds can significantly reduce bad breath and bad odor.
7 – Cardamom has an aromatic flavor which works as an excellent breath freshener. Chewing on some cardamom is an effective remedy against bad breath. Parsley is also known to be an excellent food neutralizer. The leaves contain chlorophyll in abundance and chewing on these leaves can be an excellent way to eliminate bad breath.
8 – In most cases bad breath can be cured by simply keeping your teeth, mouth and tongue clean. Proper brushing techniques, proper toothbrushes, and following regular oral hygiene will be of immense help. Make sure that you rinse your mouth with a mixture of a glass of water and some lemon juice before going to bed every night.
9 – Research has found that vital vitamins such as vitamin A and D help in keeping the mouth healthy. Vitamin C helps in curbing bleeding gums problems. So make it a point to consume fresh citrus fruits, dairy products, vegetables etc.
This list of home remedies for bad breath is easily available and will not pinch your pocket. The highlight of these remedies are that they will work better than your market chemical-based products which might cost you a significant sum without giving any promising results. Most products available claim to treat bad breath but all they are doing is hiding it temporarily. Most mouthwashes are alcohol based and they cause more harm than good. They damage soft oral tissue and ultimately make way for more bacteria in your mouth which defeats the purpose of using them. No one would want that his or her social life be affected by something as embarrassing as bad breath, especially when it can be treated by following simple remedies that are present right in your backyard.
– Dr. Rachita Narsaria