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Bad Breath Remedies

Bad breath remedies do exist! Everyone gets bad breath, but not everyone wants to use strong smelling chemicals or chemical pastes to fight bad breath.

When I use a store bought mouth wash it stings during the process and afterwards I’m left with my mouth open, waiting for the pain to go away, all the while salivating all over the floor.

It's really not a pretty sight.

While searching for alternative methods I quickly learned there are many bad breath remedies which have been used for thousands of years.

Store bought washes are convenient, yes, but bad breath home remedies are less expensive, natural, and do work. And they’re easy to use or make. Who knew that some alternatives are as easy as opening your refrigerator, or examining your plate at a restaurant? The following list is just a few of the proven home remedies to fight bad breath I’ve discovered.

Seven Bad Breath Home Remedies

Herbs

Instead of toting around breath mints to fight bad breath after a meal, carry a tin or baggie of herbs such as mint (the real one), thyme, fennel, cinnamon, anise, or cloves. Chew any of these after meals to fight bad breath.

Baking soda

You know baking soda as an ingredient in recipes, however it is also used in laundry and refrigerators to combat odor. Use it orally to fight bad breath. Simply add some to your toothbrush, add a little water, scrub and rinse.

Salt water

Rinse your mouth out with warm water and salt. This is also a remedy used to help get rid of a sore throat.

Lemon or lime water

Rinse your mouth out and gargle some lemon or lime juice mixed with warm water.

Essential oils

Essential oils are plant extracts which means you’re getting a strong concentration of the plant’s benefits. Many essential oils have qualities that can fight bad breath. One home remedy is to add a few drops of tea tree oil to your toothpaste before brushing. For mouth wash, add one drop of Myrrh oil to warm water.

Parsley or mint

When parsley or mint is used as a garnish, there is a reason for that. It is also meant to be eaten to help fight bad breath from odorous meals. This bad breath home remedy has been used for thousands of years.

Apple cider vinegar

For such an odd smelling liquid, vinegar has many uses and can help cure quite a few ailments. Add a little bit of apple cider vinegar to your water and drink it at least once per day.

So What Doesn't Work?

In 2002 The American Academy of Periodontology surveyed members about the least effective bad breath home remedies used by their patients. Below are the top three least effective methods.

Ineffective Remedy #1

Overusing mouthwash. This can actually make your bad breath worse by contributing to a dry mouth.

Ineffective Remedy #2

Breath mints. This method of fighting bad breath only masks the problem and can contribute to tooth decay which also creates bad breath. So not only will your breath smell bad ... but you'll look like your from England.

Chewing gum

Chewing gum, like breath mints, is not good for fighting bad breath since it only hides the smell. A better alternative to gum is water as a method of avoiding dry mouth.

If you are looking for a way to fight bad breath that is inexpensive and inoffensive, give some of these bad breath home remedies a try. You have nothing to lose, but that bad breath.

Drew Voight