How to remove bad breath with home remedies

Photo by Darius Bashar on Unsplash

If you want to know how to remove bad breath, you must first detect its origin. Learn about the best home remedies to combat halitosis and have a fresher breath.

Bad breath or halitosis is a fairly common disorder that affects almost half of the population at some point in their life. It is usually associated with poor oral hygiene, but it can also be a symptom of other pathologies. The best way to alleviate a condition is to find the source and fix the problem. Here we show you the main causes and how to remove bad breath.

What is halitosis

As we have said, the most normal thing is that bad breath is caused by various causes, although the most common is that it is related to inadequate oral hygiene. The accumulation of tartar will cause the proliferation of bacteria that produce certain substances that cause bad odor. Another cause of bad breath can be related to piercings in the tongue or very deep cavities.

Likewise, some pathologies of the respiratory system or digestive tracts, such as lung cancer, sinusitis, bronchitis, hiatus hernia, gastritis, or the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, can cause halitosis and a bad taste in the mouth. As you can see, it is not only an annoying aesthetic issue but behind the bad breath, there could be a very worrying health problem.

Saliva shortage is also associated with halitosis. The salivary glands secrete saliva, which is made up of 99% water. It has antiseptic properties and its function is to keep the mouth clean and lubricate the oral cavity. In this way, if the amount of saliva is not enough, our health could suffer.

We know that suffering from halitosis is very unpleasant and not only because of the smell or the bad taste in your mouth, but because of the insecurity of what is causing it. You can even bring embarrassment when talking to someone for fear of this unbearable smell. But calm, it is something that can be reversed.

Main causes of bad breath

As we mentioned before, bad breath or halitosis can be a symptom of having a more serious disease. Chronic kidney failure would cause an ammonia odor, as well as poorly controlled diabetes and impaired liver function can also cause it. Similarly, the consumption of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, or certain foods such as garlic or onion, is also related to the appearance of bad breath. Many drugs have as a side effect the decrease in saliva and, by having a dry mouth, halitosis can be generated.

Among the possible causes of bad breath is also a diet low in carbohydrates. The lack of these nutrients present in pasta, cereals, bread, rice, legumes, or potatoes, causes the body to use fats to get the energy it needs. This produces an increase in acetone that causes a characteristic odor.

However, the main cause in 90% of cases is the excessive proliferation of bacteria in the mouth. This induces the formation of bacterial plaque on the teeth and produces acids and other volatile compounds that are responsible for bad breath and a bad taste in the mouth.

Halitosis remedies

Solutions to combat halitosis start by detecting the causes of bad breath. If it is produced by inadequate oral hygiene, you will only have to start improving oral hygiene habits. To do this, brush your teeth after each meal, clean the gums and tongue well, and use dental floss or floss. The use of a mouthwash is also very useful to reach the areas that are inaccessible with the toothbrush.

We recommend visiting the dentist at least once a year to prevent cavities and other dental conditions. You can also check that no dental reconstruction has deteriorated and remove accumulated tartar with a professional dental cleaning.

Below, we show you the best home remedies to eliminate bad breath.

• Chew on a lemon peel for a few minutes after each meal.
• If you can’t brush your teeth after eating, at least rinse your mouth with water.
• Take sugar-free peppermint candy from time to time or rub your tongue with mint leaves. This will help remove the bacterial layer from the surface.
• Don’t go too long without eating any food. Between meals, you can eat an apple or a carrot.
• Take a peppermint infusion after eating.
• When you brush your teeth, don’t forget to brush your gums and tongue as well, and change your brush every 2 or 3 months at the most.
• Rinse your mouth with the water resulting from boiling parsley sprigs with two or three whole cloves. You can also directly chew parsley leaves to increase saliva production.
• Chewing celery from time to time also refreshes the mouth and fights bad breath.
• There are many herbs with properties to combat halitosis and a bad taste in the mouth, such as mint, eucalyptus, sage, thyme, or rosemary. You can make an infusion with them, they will also help you with some causes of bad breath. Green tea infusions are also indicated to end this uncomfortable condition.
• In case halitosis is due to digestive problems, you can chew cardamom seeds or take herbal teas such as fennel, pennyroyal, chamomile or anise. This way you will also fight the causes of bad breath.