What is more humiliating than the remains of your meal speckled across your toothy grin? Well, that’s easy. Bad breath!
Bad breath is a result of bacteria multiplying in your mouth. When you are sleeping at night, your body is at rest and there is no continuous flow of saliva to wash away the bacteria.
Therefore, until the waking hours, there is a massive layering and accumulation of bacteria on your teeth and tongue, leading to bad breath.
While each of us wakes up with breath that is not fresh, brushing and flossing in the morning easily sorts it out. However, many people deal with bad breath as an ongoing and distressing problem called halitosis.
Halitosis is characterized by a noticeably unpleasant, foul-smelling odor from the exhaled breath. The most common origins of the trouble are poor oral hygiene, gum disease, dental cavities or a coated tongue (white or yellow coating due to inflammation). Secondary causes may include a dry mouth, malnutrition or uncontrolled diabetes.
Halitosis can be intermittent as well. Foods and drinks like coffee, onions and garlic also lead to bad breath,although it’s usually temporary.
While 25 to 30 percent of the world’s population faces this trouble,it does not typically require medical care. However, when halitosis develops as a permanent issue, it gets embarrassing and thus necessary to go beyond brushing and flossing to get rid of the trouble.
Having discovered you are one among those facing this problem, you can do the following to get rid of bad breath instantly:
Contents
- Method 1: Using Cinnamon Mouthwash
- Step 1. Put cinnamon powder and baking soda in a jar
- Step 2. Sweeten using honey
- Step 3. Squeeze in the lemon juice
- Step 4. Pour in warm water and gargle
- Method 2: Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Water
- Dilute the hydrogen peroxide and gargle
- Method 3: Using Aromatic Spices
- Pop and chew the spices
- Method 4: Using Citrus Fruits
- Method 5: Using Fenugreek Tea
- Step 1. Pour the water and fenugreek into a pan
- Step 2. Boil and simmer
- Step 4. Strain and serve
- Method 6: Using Oral Hygiene
- Additional Tips
Method 1: Using Cinnamon Mouthwash
Things you’ll need:
- Cinnamon powder – 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
- Honey – 2 teaspoon
- Lemon – Half (1 tablespoon of juice)
- Warm water – 1 cup
Step 1. Put cinnamon powder and baking soda in a jar
- Put 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder in a jar or bottle with a tight lid.
- Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to it.
Cinnamon is an effective ingredient that not only masks the odor of bad breath but also kills off odor-causing bacteria. Chewing cinnamon gum is believed to decrease oral bacteria by 50 percent.
Baking soda wipes out bad bacteria and helps whiten the teeth.
Step 2. Sweeten using honey
- Add 2 teaspoons of honey to the mixture.
Honey not only acts as a sweetener but contains methyl glyoxal, an antimicrobial and antibacterial that helps kill the bacteria.
Step 3. Squeeze in the lemon juice
- Squeeze the juice of ½ of afresh lemon into the mixture.
Lemon has a refreshing citrus scent that eases the nasty odor of bad breath.
Step 4. Pour in warm water and gargle
- Pour 1 cup of very warm water into the jar and stir well. Warm water easily melts the honey to thin the mixture.
- Gargle and swish 1 to 2 tablespoons around in your mouth for 1 minute for an amazing freshness.
Store your homemade mouth freshener in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Shake and use the solution whenever you need to freshen up your breath.
Method 2: Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Water
Things you’ll need:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Water
Dilute the hydrogen peroxide and gargle
- Mix together equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water.
- Swish and gargle with this homemade mouthwash to get rid of bad breath.
Composed of hydrogen and oxygen, hydrogen peroxide acts as a powerful disinfectant and oral mouth rinse to eliminate odor-causing bacteria.
Make sure you dilute the hydrogen peroxide in an equal amount of water, as its concentrated form can cause a hairy tongue (tongue disorder).
Method 3: Using Aromatic Spices
Pop and chew the spices
Popping and chewing spices like cardamom, fennel seeds and cloves is one of the most effective methods of getting rid of bad breath.
Fennel seeds and cloves contain antimicrobial properties that fight the bacteria and thus act as excellent mouth fresheners.
Similarly, chewing cardamom eliminates bad odors from your mouth instantly.
Slowly chew the seeds to stimulate the production of saliva and freshen your breath. Alternatively, you can make a tea using any of the spices above and drink it a couple of times a day.
Method 4: Using Citrus Fruits
This is one of the simplest remedies to employ. You can just squeeze some juice from fresh citrus fruit into a glass of water and drink it.
Alternatively, you can slice up the fruit of your choice, place it in a jug and pour fresh water over it. Allow the goodness of the vitamins to fuse into the water by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.
Fruits like lemons, oranges, kiwis and berries contain an incredibly high percentage of vitamin C that helps kill bad odor-causing bacteria in the mouth. Vitamin C creates an acidic environment in the mouth that makes it difficult for the bacteria to thrive.
Drink this in the morning or whenever needed. You can store this drink in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Method 5: Using Fenugreek Tea
Things you’ll need:
- Fenugreek seeds – 1 tablespoon
- Water – 1 ½ cup
Step 1. Pour the water and fenugreek into a pan
- Pour 1 ½ cup of water into a pan and turn on the heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds to the water.
Fenugreek is a powerful ingredient for treating halitosis. It helps heal respiratory tract conditions that lead to bad odor.
Step 2. Boil and simmer
- Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
This allows softening of the seeds and thus infuses the water with the fenugreek’s goodness.
Step 4. Strain and serve
- Strain the liquid and drink the tea while it’s still hot.
- Drink this tea at least 3 times a day to banish bad breath.
Method 6: Using Oral Hygiene
Good oral hygiene is one of the most effective ways of reducing and preventing bad breath and flaunting a healthy mouth.
There are simple steps that you must follow as a part of daily oral hygiene to ensure a healthy mouth that smells good.
- Brushing and flossing – Brushing and flossing are the most important steps in maintaining good oral hygiene. It leaves your gums feeling fresh and healthy, removing any traces of leftover food particles in the mouth.
- Use a tongue scraper to brush your tongue – Not just your teeth, but your whole mouth needs brushing. Your bad breath may be a result of food you have eaten and the tiny particles that sit on the tongue. Therefore, it is important to brush your tongue and scrape it off.
- Drink up – Lack of water dries up the mucous membrane in the mouth, building a breeding ground for bacteria and causing bad breath. So, make sure you drink enough water every day.
- See your dentist – Regular visits to the dentist are an important part of good oral hygiene. Your dentist can also help determine the cause behind the odor, where it is coming from and whether it is due to some medical condition. Bacteria can thrive deep below your gum lines, which your dentist can identify and treat.
- Watch what you eat – Examining your diet is an important factor to get rid of bad breath. Make sure you do not eat carbs and proteins in the same meal, as they have different digestive capabilities. Watch foods like onions, garlic and soda that cause bad breath on their own, and especially avoid these foods at night.
- Take pro-biotics – Supplement your diet with pro-biotics that help cut down yeast and bacteria on the surface of the tongue. Consult your doctor before starting a supplement regimen.
Additional Tips
- Always keep some cardamom or fennel seeds handy to help you in times of emergency, when you cannot find a mouth freshener.
- Regular use of tobacco leads to a foul-smelling mouth. So, quit using tobacco products to rid yourself of bad breath.
- Replace your toothbrush every 2 to 3 months.
Source: fabhow.com
