How to Combat Bad Breath

Most cases of bad breath are associated with inadequate oral hygiene, so it's important to start by improving hygiene habits: brush your teeth, gums, and tongue after every meal, and also use dental floss and mouthwash to reach areas that are not accessible with the toothbrush. Additionally, it is necessary to visit the dentist regularly, at least once a year, to prevent cavities or other dental issues and to remove tartar.Quitting smoking, not drinking alcohol, and limiting the consumption of foods that promote bad breath, such as garlic and onion, are the main avoidable risk factors.Try these home remedies that help prevent bad breath:After each meal, chew a piece of lemon (with peel) for a few minutes.If you can't brush your teeth after a meal, at least rinse your mouth with water, and chew sugar-free gum afterward.Occasionally have mints (sugar-free).Don't go too long without eating; between meals, you can eat an apple or a carrot.Make an infusion by boiling a tablespoon of peppermint in a cup of water for ten minutes, and drink it after eating.When brushing your teeth, don’t forget to brush your gums and tongue, and replace your toothbrush regularly (once every month or month and a half).Boil several sprigs of parsley with two or three whole cloves in two cups of water. Stir the mixture while cooling, strain it, and use the liquid to rinse your mouth several times a day.Chew on some celery sticks from time to time; celery freshens the mouth and combats bad breath.Besides parsley, there are many other herbs whose aromatic properties make them ideal for preventing halitosis, such as mint, eucalyptus, thyme, sage, or rosemary. You can make infusions by boiling them for 15 minutes (one small spoonful of each in a cup of water) or chew directly on some leaves.If bad breath is due to digestive problems, you can use cardamom seeds (chewing them slowly after meals cleans the mouth and eliminates the bad smell from other foods, although their flavor is quite strong) or infusions of digestive herbs like fennel, pennyroyal, anise, or chamomile.It is important to emphasize that one should try to avoid bad habits that stain the teeth, such as cigarettes, excessive drinks like coffee, tea, or wine, and food colorings.How to relieve sore gumsHow to remove stains from teeth naturallyHow to whiten teeth at home