Home Remedies: How to Get Rid of Bad Breath Naturally

Have you ever seen one of those old magazine ads for Listerine, where they show some poor soul who can't get a date or a job, or much of anything else for that matter-- due to halitosis ?

According to Smithsonian.com, "Ultimately, the bad-breath campaign was so successful that marketing historians refer to it as the “halitosis appeal”—shorthand for using fear to sell a product.

Today, it's hard to believe that people actually succumbed to these manipulative messages. You must realize, though, that in the early 20th century, when these ads appeared, people weren't swimming in the sea of advertising we are today.

We're a lot savvier as consumers. And our approach to bad breath is much better informed, too. Among other things, we now have a lot of ways to how to get rid of bad breath naturally--which we'll be discussing in this article.

First, though, we'll go over some likely causes of bad breath since, as the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." If you avoid or prevent what gives you bad breath to begin with, perhaps you can ward it off.

What's a more natural cure for bad breath than that?

Here are some specific causes of bad breath:

Things You Eat

Sometimes bad breath is caused by something you ate or drank--like garlic, coffee, alcohol, or cheese. Sometimes it's a bad habit, such as smoking, poor oral hygiene, or a high-sugar diet.

Health Conditions

Bad breath could also be the result of certain health conditions, such as diabetes or respiratory and sinus infections. These and other conditions are conducive to dry mouth--the real "halitosis culprit" in many cases.

Gingivitis

Another reason for bad breath could be gingivitis (periodontal or gum disease), which is caused by the build-up of food particles and plaque along the gum line.

You should consider this kind of bad breath as a sign of potentially worse things to come. Ask your dentist about ways to treat gingivitis.

Other dental causes of bad breath include poorly fitting dental appliances, yeast infections of the mouth, and dental caries (cavities).

The best advice overall is to take care of yourself and have regular medical and dental check-ups.

Here are some ways to get rid of bad breath--maybe even without leaving your house. You'll like some of them so much that you'll eat or drink them even when you don't need to get rid of bad breath.

Be aware, though, that there is some debate about the actual benefits of these remedies, as opposed to simply masking the bad breath odor.

Parsley

Would you believe that parsley is a natural cure for bad breath? Remember that box of food you brought back from a restaurant last night (as you always do)?

And remember that parsley spring that is still there on top of the food (as it usually is when you bring restaurant food home)? Well, put it in your mouth and chew.

Mmm... what a fresh taste it has! How come you never realized this before?

Apples and Other Crunchy Produce

Apples taste good and are a versatile food staple. And it turns out that "not only will the crunch help remove plaque from your teeth , but it will also help your mouth generate more saliva, which is a natural way to battle bad breath."

If you don't like apples by themselves, there are some great recipes for them --including ones that combine apples with other breath-friendly foods to make a natural cure for bad breath.

Carrots, celery, and some other vegetables that are similar to those of apples. Any food that calls for a lot of chewing causes the body to produce saliva--which, in turn, cleans and moisturizes the mouth.

These are more specialized products. they might be available in your supermarket, but you also might need to check elsewhere.

Spices and Essential Oils

Clove oil is frequently cited for its antimicrobial benefits , including getting rid of bad breath. The same effect--said to be a mild one--can be achieved from other essential oils, such as lemon, thyme, wintergreen, and parsley.

You might have seen fennel or anise seeds in small bowls in Indian restaurants. "Since ancient times, these seeds have been used to freshen breath. They are still used as “mukhwas,” or mouth fresheners, to cleanse after-dinner breath.

Fennel and anise seeds taste sweet and contain aromatic essential oils that can give your breath a fresh scent.

Probiotic Products

" Oral probiotics contain "good" bacteria that replace or eliminate 'bad' bacteria in the body." Probiotics have worked for digestion generally. Thus there is no reason to think they wouldn't work in the mouth--the first destination in the digestive process.

Apparently, there has been a lot of study lately to determine the effectiveness of probiotics in oral use. So stay tuned...

Some of these are pretty simple and obvious, like the first one--

Brush and Floss your Teeth Regularly

Good dental hygiene provides the foundation for sweet-smelling breath. Add in a device to scrape your tongue ( yes, scrape your tongue ) and you're all set until your next oral self-care. You should do this twice a day, of course.

Follow up with a good mouthwash rinse. It will be the last stage of cleaning and disinfecting your mouth... then you'll go and eat something, and something else, and then something more--until you're back to do this ritual all over again.

Drink Lots of Water

Like saliva (which is mostly water), it helps keep your mouth clean. It also helps you maintain a good level of bodily fluids.

We've told you all about how to get rid of bad breath naturally; in fact, we couldn't find anything that isn't natural to tell you about.

Except for visits to the dentist and any other relevant health care providers, every remedy for bad breath is a natural bad breath home remedy. No expensive or painful treatments--

That is unless your oral hygiene is so poor that you eventually need oral surgery. So your halitosis home remedy could turn out to be the cure for a whole lot more.

So, remember those early 20th-century magazine ads we told you about at the beginning of this article? The anxiety they provoked in those who saw them? There's no need to feel anxiety over bad breath.

Just use good sense in choosing foods; brush, floss, scrape and rinse often, and you should be in good shape. If you are not for some reason, though, call your dentist right away!