Bad breath, scientifically called halitosis has a characteristic unpleasant odour in the mouth, which most of the times result in aloofness from people and embarrassment. It is quite unhealthy and unhygienic for oral health as well.
So, what are the main causes of bad breath- other than morning breath, which we all have as the saliva is almost not secreted while we are asleep, which causes the bacteria to ferment inside our mouths and convert any sugary remains to acid- hence it is recommended brushing the teeth before going to bed as well.
Causes of bad breath include food– with garlic and onions, tobacco products, maintaining improper and poor dental hygiene, dry mouth, dehydration, mouth infections, dental problems, and/ or few medications.
Treatments for bad breath include
Proper dental hygiene- including brushing, flossing and rinsing the mouth- twice a day,
Chewing sugar-free gum after every meal that you have in the day,
Rinsing the mouth after eating anything with high sugar content and sticky foods
Quit smoking and drinking
Oral health treatments by a recognized dentist.
You can also follow these home remedies to control bad breath, and with regular usage, you can also get rid of the odour.
Hydration: Drinking required water will keep your mouth wet, and will also help in diluting the bad odour causing microorganisms that cause the malodorous mouth.
Brush and Floss: Regular brushing and flossing the teeth, helps in removal of any food particle that may have been struck between the tooth or at the dentures.
Regular scrapping of your tongue using a tongue cleaner helps in removal of the white layer that forms on your tongue that becomes a breeding ground for the bacteria. About 80% of bad breath is due to dirty tongue. So always try keeping it clean.
Use a Mouth rinse after brushing, flossing and tongue scraping helps in complete cleaning of the mouth- as it helps in removing of food that your tooth brush might not be able to remove and leaves the oral cavity feel refreshed.
Eat Healthy- as food plays a major role in bad odour of the mouth. Avoid eating onions and garlic for dinner- and if you do eat, then make sure you brush and clean your teeth before hitting the bed- and drink lots of water.
You can also chew cloves, fennel seeds, cardamom and/or aniseeds after meals during mid-day as they help in preventing the rise of bacteria causing bad odour.
For a refreshing and freshening mouth, bursting with flavour, try chewing a piece of lemon or orange rind.
Alternatively, you can also try chewing few sprigs of leaves of coriander/ cilantro, mint and parsley or basil/ tulsi as they help in neutralizing malodours in the mouth.
You can try sucking on a small stick of cinnamon, which has high anti-microbial activities and gives a sweet-spicy taste.
Do chew on sugar free chewing gums when out, as they do help in neutralizing the acid content in the oral cavity thereby reducing the bad breath.
By: Archa Dave
