Defeating Bad Breath the Natural Way

So you think (or know) that you have bad breath and you want to know how to get rid of it simply and naturally. Well let's start off by finding out just how horrible our halitosis really is by doing some simple "breath tests". First, right this moment, I want you to cup your hands over your mouth and let out a big, deep, haaaaaa... Now Sniff. Remember, it is human nature that our own odors are never quite as offensive to us as they are to others so lets try to be honest with ourselves. Did you find your breath a little bit offensive? If you did, it is safe to say that others you come in contact with will find it deadly!

The next "breath test" we can do at home. Get a piece of floss (if you don't have any on hand that is a really bad sign for your breath) and pull the floss gently between your teeth until you unearth a little gunk (official medical term). Ok, here come the gross but necessary part... Sniff it... If it smells bad, your breath smells bad... sorry.

So what could be causing all this bad air between us?

Well, sometimes you are what you eat... or at least you smell like what you eat. For various reasons, some foods will get a hold on your breath and won't let go until you make them let go. Here are some foods to avoid before that big meeting or first date:

Highly spiced foods tend to leave lingering bad breath in your mouth for up to 24 hours, whether you brush your teeth or not, because of the essential oils they leave behind in your mouth. These foods include onions, hot peppers, garlic as well as spicy deli meats such as pastrami, salami, and pepperoni.

Dairy can be scary... for your breath that is. Camembert, Roquefort and Blue cheese are very strong cheeses that will leave behind some equally strong lingering bad breath. Other dairy products, including milk and yogurt, can have the same negative effect.

Something smells fishy to me... could it be your breath? Sushi, anchovies on pizza and even that innocent looking tuna sandwich can leave your breath swimming with bad odors.

That diet may help you lose weight, but don't expect it to help you lose that halitosis. Fasting, dieting or just plain having a poor diet can also cause bad breath. Doesn't seem fair does it.

Sometime it's not what you eat, or don't eat, but rather what you drink. The biggest liquid offenders are coffee, beer, wine and whiskey, and here is why. Each of them leaves a residue behind that tends to attach to the plaque on your teeth and even parts of your digestive system. Every time you talk or breath you are expelling traces into the air that scream, "Guess what I've been drinking!". My best advise when it comes to beverages is that you just stick with water whenever possible. Water is good for you and, if you are like most of us, you don't drink enough of it anyway.

OK ,so now that we know what might be causing that halitosis, lets get rid of it with some quick tips that we all can use to ward of that bad breath.

The most obvious solution is of course brushing your teeth, but how many of us overlook brushing our tongue? Your tongue is covered with little hair-like particles that are shaped like mushrooms when viewed under a microscope ( I wonder who the guy was that volunteered to put his tongue under a microscope for the advancement of science... just a funny picture in my head... sorry, let us continue). Anyway, this forest of mushrooms on your tongue harbor plaque and food molecules underneath them causing bad breath; so gently brush the top of your tongue every time you brush your teeth.

You should brush and floss after every meal but I think it is safe to say that the majority of us don't do that during working hours. Carrying a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss around with you all day is not always a convenient thing to do, but if you can, you should at least carry the toothbrush and use it after every meal or snack. I have heard of people who take a small travel size tube of toothpaste with them to work and then put a little dab on their finger to "brush" their teeth after a meal. Toothpaste might leave you with a minty taste in your mouth but the toothbrush is actually doing most of the work as far as knocking out bad breath; so you can leave toothpaste at home because the brush is more important.

In lieu of a toothbrush, try using a paper napkin or tissue paper and gently polishing your teeth after a meal or snack ( preferably in the privacy of the restroom ). While not as good as brushing, you may be surprised at how much sticky plaque you end up removing. 

If you don't have floss you can get between those teeth by rinsing your mouth out with plain water using the "swish & spit" technique. If you are somewhere where spitting is out of the question, then take a sip of water and use the "swish & swallow" technique. Either one will help wash those little food particles, as well as the food smells, out of your mouth.

Short-term fixes for a case of bad breath include gargling with a mint or cinnamon mouthwash or chewing some sugar free mint or cinnamon gum. Most flavored mouthwashes contain essential oils such as thyme, eucalyptus, peppermint, wintergreen or zinc compounds that neutralize the odor-producing bacteria in your mouth. Chewing a sugar free gum will actually produce saliva in your mouth which helps break down some of the plaque in your mouth reducing bad breath. Unfortunately, both mouthwash and chewing sugarless gum only works for about 20 to 30 minutes; then it's back to dragon breath.

So are there any "herbal remedies" we can use to combat bad breath? Why of course!

Silly rabbit, parsley is for kids (and adults) with bad breath! That's right, now you know the secret; that sprig of parsley they put on your plate at the restaurant is not for decoration but is actually an excellent way to freshen your breath naturally. So add a little more green to your next meal and put that parsley where it belongs... in your mouth. Give it a good chewing to get the full benefit and skip the sugary mint candy on the way out the door. 

Another herbal remedy to bad breath is to spice up your life, and your breath, with some everyday herbs and spices you keep around the kitchen. Cloves, fennel, and anise seeds are all excellent natural breath enhancers. Carry a small amount of your favorite herb in an empty pill bottle or plastic baggie for a quick breath-saver anytime.

Following these simple suggestions should help you defeat bad breath the natural way. If you suffer from persistent halitosis that hangs on more than 24 hours without an obvious cause, that could be a sign of serious gum disease or gastrointestinal problems - see a dentist or doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.