Dealing with bad breath can be a nightmare. You're constantly worrying about how your breath smells yet it's so difficult to know for sure if it's smelling at all! It can be tempting to grab some mints or mouth spray but the problem is that they can actually make matters worse in the long run.
What Causes Bad Breath?
There's so much conflicting info out there as to how to effectively treat your bad breath. You may not realize it but many products designed to help actually dry out your mouth and are generally a waste of money. There are two likely reasons for having bad breath. First of all, when you body is digesting food, gasses are released. The smell of these gasses can vary depending on what foods you eat - onions and garlic are amongst the worst offenders.
Then there's bacteria lurking in your mouth, on your tongue and between your teeth. I am sure you have noticed that "not so fresh breath" on those mornings that you ran out the door before brushing.
Simple Remedies
- Before you do anything else, make sure that you're cleaning you teeth thoroughly. Not just your teeth but also your gums and tongue. It's a good idea to invest in a tongue scraper so that the bacteria is fully removed. Another important thing to remember is your tooth brush. Bacteria from your mouth attaches to your brush so wash it well between brushing and replace often.
- If you don't floss, then you must go out and buy some as tooth brushes have problems cleaning the gaps between your teeth.
- Tea tree oil is an amazing essential oil with many wonderful health properties. Its anti-bacterial properties also make it a good mouthwash. Try adding a few drops to your toothpaste.
- A little baking soda in water will also help to neutralize the bad breathe odor.
- Ginger is well-known oriental treatment for bad breath. Its taken pickled in vinegar after a meal.
- Last but by far the simplest is water. Mouths that are dry tend to have more odor, so drink lots of water to help keep things wet and flushed out.
April Kerr is passionate about healthy living and has written a blog post on how drinking tea can help with bad breath.