Bad breath or so called “halitosis” is the result of certain foods and lack of oral hygiene. Food particles that remain in the mouth and in between the teeth after meals, if not cleaned by brushing, cause bad breath.
The stale food particles decay in the mouth and cause bacteria, thus releasing sulfur compounds causing the awful smell. Raw onions and garlic in the food too cause bad breath. Other causes for halitosis could be tooth decay, infection of the throat, smoking, stomach disorders, alcohol, diabetes or even stress.
Some simple and easy home remedies, however, could help one get rid of the bad breath. It is important to brush the teeth after each meal to discourage bacteria from growing in the mouth, thus preventing bad breath.
One can also chew cardamom to prevent bad breath. This is the easiest of all home remedies, and cardamom of course has a very nice aroma. Chewing 2-3 mint leaves after meals too will stop bad breath from occurring in the mouth.
Taking tea made from fenugreek seeds can be useful too. Also, Parsley and Rosemary can be eaten to put an end to the bad breath in the mouth. You may not realize this, but including a lot of yogurt in the meals too will ease digestion and help prevent halitosis.
Chewing a clove after meals does not allow the bad breath to be formed in the mouth. And one or two spoons of castor oil can be consumed daily to keep the stomach clean and avoid smell due to indigestion.
The old saying of eating an apple every day too holds true because it prevents bacteria from growing in the mouth. Chewing raw carrot is also a good home remedy for bad breath.
Mix a little baking soda in water and gargle the mouth after every meal. This is a very effective and safe home remedy for bad breath. Drinking tea without sugar will also reduce the problem.
Poly phenols present in green tea and black tea prevent the formation of sulphur compounds. Therefore, this is an excellent home remedy for bad breath.
:A tongue scrapper can easily be used to remove the dead cells on the tongue. In the absence of a tongue cleaner, a toothbrush can also be used and the mouth can be rinsed thoroughly later. This is a very simple, yet effective home remedy for bad breath.The teeth, mouth and tongue should be cleaned at night before sleeping to avoid teeth decay and bad breath.
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day, taking soups and eating cucumber will keep the body cool and prevent the formation of bad breath, which is often due to the heat in the stomach that causes indigestion.
Avocado too is a great home remedy as it takes care of intestinal problems and prevents halitosis.
Unripe guava is rich in calcium, phosphorous acids and manganese. Eating raw guava prevents tooth decay. Fried or spicy foods and coffee and alcohol should be strictly avoided.
Finally, almost all drug stores sell mouthwash containing zinc ions. A mouthwash with these ions can be used after every meal to prevent bad breath.