Treating bad breath can be as simple as raiding your kitchen for odor-eliminating items. Read on to learn more.
Home Remedies From the Cupboard
Baking soda. Baking soda is a great way to clean your teeth and get fresh breath. For fresher breath, sprinkle some baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into the baking soda, and brush.
If brushing with plain baking soda sounds icky, try adding a little artificial sugar, such as saccharine or aspartame. Or you can make your own toothpaste: Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part salt; add 3 teaspoons glycerin and 10 to 20 drops of your favorite flavoring (peppermint, wintergreen, anise, cinnamon); add enough water to make a paste.
To create a tooth powder, mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part salt. Add a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen oil.
Sugarless gum or candy. To keep your mouth moist and increase saliva flow, the American Dental Association suggests chewing sugarless gum or sucking on sugarless candy. These are made with sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol (sugar alcohols), which do not support oral bacterial growth.
Home Remedies From the Faucet
Water. Water is essential for fresher breath. Swish water around your mouth for at least 20 seconds to loosen food particles and clean your mouth. Water may even work as well as mouthwash in removing trapped food particles and keeping your breath fresh.
Home Remedies From the Refrigerator
Fresh vegetables. Fresh vegetables, such as carrots and celery, fight plaque and keep your breath smelling nice.
Cheese. Cheese also fights plaque and mouth odor. Opt for a bit of low-fat cheese for a snack.
Parsley and spearmint. Parsley is not just for decoration. It's long been used as a breath neutralizer. Spearmint can also neutralize odors. Parsley and spearmint won't get rid of bad breath, but they may help mask the garlic shrimp you had for dinner.
Home Remedies From the Spice Rack
Aromatic spices. Chewing on the seeds of aromatic spices such as clove, cardamom, or fennel after meals is a common practice in South Asia and the Middle East. The seeds of these spices contain antimicrobial properties that can help halt bad breath.
Bad breath may be a problem as old as time. But it doesn't have to ruin your time, as long as you follow some home remedies before or after your night on the town.
