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Bad Breath Home Remedies

By Diane Hanson

Everyone has bad breath now and again. While most cases of bad breath or halitosis are not serious, it can be socially embarrassing.

The food you eat and drink, your dental and lifestyle habits can make your breath unpleasant. The most common triggers of bad breath include protein-rich food, raw onion and garlic, skipping breakfast, and smoking. Antihistamines and other drugs or medications, stress, dehydration and zinc deficiency can also cause bad breath.

There are many ways to check for bad breath. Most people cup their hands over their mouth and nose, breathe into them and then quickly sniff their breath. However, it is not an effective method. We can’t smell our own breath because we become accustomed to it.

For around $10-$20, you can purchase a home testing kit that comes with swabs to gather bacterial and sulfuric samples from the back of your tongue.

You then take your samples and soak them in a solution, and wait several minutes for the solution to change color. The color of the solution indicates the severity of your bad breath.

Home Remedies and Natural Cures to Stop Bad Breath

Bad Breath Home Remedy Using Apple Cider Vinegar

Use apple cider vinegar as an effective mouthwash to provide long-lasting relief from bad breath.

Dilute ½ tablespoon of the vinegar into a cup of water and gargle the mixture in your mouth for 10 seconds at a time until the cup is empty.

Bad Breath Home Remedy Using Baking Soda

Baking soda is also very helpful in fighting bad breath as it actually changes the pH level in your mouth, which results in a less friendly environment for most anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath through their waste products.

Put a small amount of baking soda onto your toothbrush and start brushing, just as you regularly do with your tooth paste. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with water.

Also, brush the top of your tongue with your toothbrush or a tongue scrapper at least once per day, to scrape away the bacteria and debris that have accumulated on your tongue’s surface, which contribute to halitosis.

Herbal Remedy for Bad Breath with Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is a natural cure for bad breath as it has strong antiseptic and antibacterial actions.

Add a drop to your toothpaste before you brush. You can also make a tea tree oil mouthwash by adding 3 drops of the oil to a glass of warm water. Gargle with tea tree oil solution thrice daily, after each meal.

Natural Remedy for Bad Breath Using Citrus Fruits

Bad breath is often the result of a dry mouth. Eating a citrus fruit such as orange, lemon, or grapefruit can help improve bad breath problem to a great extent. Citrus fruits prevent odor-causing bacteria due to their acidic nature.

Chewing on coriander and parsley will also help in eliminating bad breath. They contain a lot of chlorophyll, which has potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Bad breath can indicate an underlying health problem. If the above-mentioned home cures can’t stop bad breath naturally, I suggest you consult a doctor or dentist to make sure there isn’t a more serious problem such as respiratory tract infection or gum disease.

what home remedies stop bad breath naturally

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