How to Get Rid Of Halitosis: 8 Ways to Get Rid Of Bad Breath

Bad breath can be embarrassing, especially if you notice people around you become uncomfortable, trying to hold or cover their breath when you speak.

Some can be discreet about it, not wanting to hurt your feelings, while others will out rightly not mind if you observe their action.

Bad breath is caused by the following:

• Bacteria on your teeth and the surfaces of your tongue, your tongue. This is the most cause of bad breath, and it is easily treatable by observing good oral hygiene.
• Gum diseases like periodontitis and gingivitis.
• Dry mouth, which is caused by the failure of the salivary glands to produce enough saliva to keep your mouth moist while also neutralizing the acidic environment necessary for bacteria to thrive.
• Respiratory infections
• Gastrointestinal diseases,
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Advanced liver and kidney diseases
• Foods rich in sulfur such as ginger, garlic, onions, other spicy foods, and sugary foods
• Tobacco
• High protein diets
• Some medications used to treat depression, anxiety, pains, allergies, and colds.

If you’re suffering from bad breath, you’re not alone as this affects more people in the world than you can imagine;  35 – 45% of the world’s population suffers from varying degrees of bad breath.

Below are eight ways to get rid of bad breath

1. Change Your Lifestyle

Changing your lifestyle involves inculcating new habits that improve your oral health and hygiene. Such lifestyle changes include:

1. Brushing twice daily: in the morning and night before going to bed
2. brush or rinse your mouth after eating sticky or sugary foods
3. drinking at least 8 ounces of water daily
4. changing your toothbrush every three months
5. use and replace your tongue cleaner every two weeks
6. Quit smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol
7. taking off and cleaning your dentures every night if you use any
8. visit the dentist regularly

2. Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is an age-old ancient tradition used by the Indians to cure bad breath for thousands of years.

Swishing oil such as pure virgin, sunflower, coconut, or sesame oil in your mouth pulls out bacteria rooted in your teeth and on your tongue and eradicates toxins in your mouth, thus preventing bad breath by lowering the bacteria population in your mouth.

It also improves your gum health and prevents plaque formation.

Swish one tablespoon of any of the oils mentioned above for five to twenty minutes, thrice weekly for good breath and improved oral hygiene.

3. Clean Your Tongue Twice Daily

Use metal tongue cleaner to scrape your tongue twice daily: morning and night before bed. Doing this removes thin coatings of films formed on the surface of your tongue that promote the growth of bacteria.

You should gaggle with a homemade or OTC mouthwash after cleaning out your tongue to prevent bacteria and biofilms from lodging in crevices on your teeth and in your gum.

4. Drink Green Tea

Green tea extracts effectively fight bacteria that cause tooth decay, strep throat, and other bacteria that cause diseases.

Therefore, a cup of tea not only keeps you warm but gives you fresh breath and also helps fight infections in your body.

Read Also: 10 Matcha Green Tea Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss

5. Chew Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs such as coriander, peppermint, spearmint, fennel, aniseed, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, and thyme are known to keep your breath fresh when chewed in the mornings.

Such herbs are rich in antioxidants and antiseptics that helps to fight bacteria, virus, and fungi; thus, they are effective in cleansing the mouth and the digestive system.

Aside from chewing, you can make herbal tea from a combination of these herbs by following the recipe below:

Infuse three parts peppermint or spearmint, one part thyme, one part cinnamon, a small piece of anise, and a small piece of ginger (optional) in 10 ounces of boiling water; cover for 10 minutes, sieve, and enjoy your tea while eradicating bad breath.

6. Chew Celery Stalk

Chewing a celery stalk after each meal can help keep bad breath at bay because it has high fiber content, and it promotes saliva production in the mouth.

Saliva keeps your mouth moist and neutralizes an acidic environment that can promote the growth of bacteria in your mouth.

It also washes away small food particles on your tongue and teeth, thus preventing the buildup of plaque on your teeth and biofilms on your tongue, both of which are important for bacteria populations to thrive in your mouth.

Chewing a celery stalk after a meal performs two functions in addition to keeping bad breath under control:

1. the rough texture of the celery stalk against your tongue scrubs bacteria from your tongue
2. The natural fiber in the celebrity keeps your teeth clean and prevents plaque formation.

7. Use Lemon

Chewing a piece of lemon, drinking lemon juice, or using lemon juice as a mouth wash is proven to eliminate bad breath. Lemon is an effective natural remedy for fighting halitosis because:

1. It is rich in Vitamin C, which helps to fight gum inflammation and diseases
2. It contains strong antioxidants and antimicrobial substances that help fight bacteria in the mouth.
3. It improves digestion, thus preventing the buildup of harmful bacteria in the alimentary tract.
4. The citrus content of lemon helps to stimulate the production of saliva.

Read Also: 12 Home Remedies to Get Rid Of Chapped Lips Overnight 

8. Use Mouthwash and Sprays to Neutralize Mouth Odors

Homemade or OTC mouthwash and sprays are effective at controlling bad breaths.

Gargling with A tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of water or brushing with a mix of baking soda and toothpaste can also help prevent bad breath.

Also, consulting a dentist for a recommended alcohol-free OTC mouthwash will help you keep bad breath under control.

Conclusion

Your oral health matters a lot because it boosts your self-image and self-confidence; therefore, it is important that you take care to observe any or a combination of tips above suggested for getting rid of bad breath or halitosis.

If you’re not sure whether you have bad breath or not, asking a trusted friend or family member to perceive your breath and give you honest feedback will determine if you have a bad breath.

You can also perform a quick test on yourself by licking the underside of your wrist with your upper and lower tongue, waiting a few seconds, and perceiving the smell.

If it smells bad, then you should try out a combination of our recommended way of getting rid of halitosis.

Read Also: Plaque Removal At Home: 9 Easy Home Remedies to Remove Dental Plaque Naturally At Home