Have you ever tried to smell your own breath before entering party or going on a date? Everyone must have tried it at least once in their lifetime. But it is difficult to smell your own breath, let alone judge its odour.
You might have come across people with a terrible-smelling breath and they don't even realise it. However well a person might be dressed, if their breath stinks, they shall leave a bad impression. But have you ever wondered why our breath smells?
The bacteria in the mouth tend to grow on food particles that is stuck between the teeth after a meal. According to PubMed Central, this leads to 90% of the bad breath cases but other factors for the condition include: renal failure, diabetes, beginning a new diet like keto, acid reflux, etc.
There's no one static formula to get rid of bad breath but there are things you can take care of regularly to make sure you do not have to face the trauma of someone else pointing that out for you.
Don't Skip on Water
The reason for bacteria to grow in your mouth and cause the odour may be due to your dry mouth. Saliva is important for keeping the mouth clean naturally and it also keeps bad bacteria at bay. During the nights, your mouth dries out naturally giving you a foul smell in the morning.
According to the US Food and Nutrition Board, one must drink enough water so that the salivary glands can make enough saliva to rinse off the food particles and balance the oral bacteria.
Green Tea
According to PubMed, green tea is effective in controlling the production of bad bacteria and preventing bad breath. You can have green tea after meals to curb down the odour temporarily or you can use mouthwashes with green tea as their ingredient.
Moreover, the antioxidants present in green tea possess antimicrobial properties and protect gum tissues and development of halitosis.
Yoghurt
Yoghurt is a rich source of probiotics that promote the growth of good bacteria in the mouth and a coating of good bacteria prevents the growth of bad bacteria and bad breath. According to US National Institutes of Health, probiotics kills the S.mutans bacteria which are responsible for tooth decay and halitosis.
Essential Oils
According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, use of a diluted mixture of lemon, tea tree, and peppermint oil has shown a reduction in bad odour and volatile sulphur compounds responsible for bad breath.
You can dilute these oils in a cup of warm water and gargle with it but do not swallow the mixture since these oils can be toxic for human bodies.
Cinnamon Oil
According to Medical News Today, cinnamon oil has anti bacterial properties and that is why it is effective in destroying the S. moorei bacteria which promote bad breath and also affect the levels of VCS hydrogen sulphide in the mouth.
Cinnamon oil has proved to prevent halitosis as well. However, since it is a food grade oil as well as essential oil, it must not be swallowed and used on the gums directly.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds form an age old remedy for various digestive issues and that is why it can also be used for bad breath since GERD or acid reflux or even other common digestive issues might lead to bad breath.
You can chew upon a spoon of fennel seeds after meals or enjoy a cup of fennel tea to aid digestion, promote saliva production, and prevent bad breath.
Baking Soda
According to US NIH, baking soda, also known as calcium bicarbonate which is an effective ingredient in toothpaste, can be used as a mouthwash to prevent bad breath and control bad bacteria.
You can mix two tablespoons of baking soda in a cup of warm water, swish it around in your mouth for about 30 seconds and spit it out.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)