Maintaining good oral hygiene and scheduling regular dentist visits are essential for a healthy mouth and fresh breath. However, even with diligent care, occasional bad breath may still arise. Luckily, there are lots of simple home remedies for bad breath that you can try right now. For example, staying hydrated and making specific dietary choices can significantly improve breath freshness. Read on to learn all about these easy and effective home remedies for bad breath.
Easy and Effective Home Remedies for Bad Breath
- Brush and Floss
For combating bad breath at home, start with the basics: perfecting your brushing and flossing routine. Consistent oral care removes food particles, plaque buildup, and odor-causing bacteria. Brush twice daily and floss daily to reduce plaque, bacteria, and food debris. This not only freshens breath but also helps prevent periodontal disease, a common cause of bad breath. Consider using KIWIBIRD ORAL CARE PRODUCT for optimal results.
- Clean Your Tongue
Don't forget your tongue when brushing! Bacteria and amino acids on the tongue can create sulfuric compounds, leading to bad breath. Gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush and use a tongue scraper to reduce bacteria and keep your breath fresh.
- Use a Mouthwash
Often feel like hiding after having a meal with garlic or onion? Mouthwash can quickly freshen your breath and stop the smell caused by certain foods. Adding an antibacterial mouthwash to your dental routine can also reduce plaque and gingivitis, giving your mouth a pleasant aroma.
- Hydrate
Maintaining proper hydration is crucial for preventing dry mouth and bad breath. Dehydration can lead to reduced saliva production and an increase in odor-causing bacteria. Various factors, such as medications, medical conditions, and sleeping habits, can contribute to dry mouth.
Drinking water regularly throughout the day, especially upon waking, can alleviate dry mouth and eliminate overnight bacteria. Consider tracking your daily water intake to ensure adequate hydration and fresher breath.
- Avoid Odor-Causing Foods
While it's common knowledge that foods like raw onions and garlic can impact breath odor, they're not the only culprits to watch out for! Be mindful of these foods and drinks as well:
- Tea and coffee
- Alcohol
- Fish
- Sugary foods
- Spicy foods
- Eat More Breath-Freshening Foods
- Milk. A glass of milk can help to neutralize the odors from strong-smelling foods like onion and garlic. Milk is also known to help neutralize the acids that can contribute to tooth decay and erosion.
- Yogurt. The friendly bacteria in yogurt can help to control odor-causing bacteria in the mouth, and can also benefit your gut health, too. Make sure to choose a plain or naturally flavored variety, though, as many yogurts have added sugars that can make bad breath worse.
- Crunchy fruits and veggies. These have a scrubbing effect on your teeth that can help to remove plaque. The extra chewing also stimulates saliva flow, which can help to wash away food debris and odor-causing bacteria. And some, like apples, also contain compounds that neutralize compounds in smelly foods like garlic.
- Pineapple. Experts aren’t sure how this one works! But lots of people swear by pineapple and pineapple juice for freshening their breath. Rinse with water afterwards, though, to protect your teeth from the high acid and sugar content.
- Fresh herbs. Chewing on fresh herbs like mint or parsley has long been believed to fight bad breath. They help to neutralize sulfuric compounds and fight bacteria, and of course mint leaves behind a lovely, fresh scent, too!
- Fennel or anise seeds. These fragrant seeds have been used as breath fresheners since ancient times. They contain sweet-smelling essential oils that are released when chewing.
These quick and easy home remedies for bad breath can help to freshen your mouth. So don't forget to brush twice daily, floss, clean your tongue, and incorporate an antibacterial mouthwash into your routine. Boost hydration, indulge in breath-freshening foods and drinks—they benefit your entire body, not just your breath!