Apr 21, 2011 Posted Under: Dental Care

What To Do When You Have Bad Breath

Most people think that chewing gum will get rid of bad breath. It’s not altogether true.

Bad breath could be the result of bacteria residing in your teeth and your gums and your tongue. But sometimes it goes deeper than that… deep into your system via the foods that you eat.

If you suffer form gastritis, constipation, poor digestion, these conditions are all a result of food from within your system fermenting in a semi state of digestion and the aromas are so strong that instead of being absorbed by our digestive system (which is normal) the smells come from inside out.

If you are fond of meats and garlic and onions… you now you have a problem. Garlic and onions – because of their potency and the pungent smells. Meat – takes a very very long time to digest. It takes as long as 5.5 hours to digest meat compared to just half an hour for fruits and about 2 hours or less to digest veggies.

Imagine foods staying in your digestive system for that long… And if your digestion is not as perfect as it should be, you may have aromas of food about that you would not like to have!

So if you have bad breath the first things you have to check is: What is your food intake like? You may have to change it a little if you are really bothered by bad breath. Eat more salads, veggies, fruits.

If you think it is minor then check food bits that may be caught between your teeth. If you don’t like the idea of flossing after meals (which can be bothersome!) then get some interdental brushes and keep it near you. That should solve bad breath problems.

When brushing your teeth at night don’t brush just with the toothpaste, try adding some sea salt and clove powder and baking soda (put equal amounts of salt and clove powder and less of baking soda in a little bottle and leave it on the bathroom shelf). And while you are at brushing, brush your gums as well as your tongue.

Another method to get rid of bad breath, especially if it is not superficial (i.e. it is not just mouth, gums, teeth) and it comes from deep within the system, get some aloe vera juice and drink a half a glass of it. Some have reported that it works like magic.

Other home remedies that have had good reports are gargling in warm water with lemon juice. Chewing on a clove or a cardamom or fennel seeds works wonders. Drink lots of green tea.

While this article if full of tips and lighthearted in its vein, I know that bad breath can be debilitating in your life. Relationships can be destroyed. Confidence can be lost, the fear being in a social circle is large and you can become a recluse. It can prove torturous to many people suffering (yes, “suffering” is the right word here) this ailment.

So go to it. There are many things in your kitchen that helps. Do it. Have some determination (especially when it comes to changing your diet a little) and get it done.

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