For embarrassing oral health issues like bad breath, however, you can actually fix it at the comfort of your own home instead of going to your best dentist San Diego right away. Unfortunately, there are a lot of causes of bad breath that might require more than just good oral hygiene in the end.
However, good oral hygiene is (and will always be) the number one remedy, but you can do a whole lot more than that. Here are some instant bad breath remedies to help you out.
1. Clean Your Teeth
This one might seem obvious, but the easiest way to get rid of your bad breath is with a good mouth cleaning. Start by brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and getting every corner of your mouth. After brushing for two minutes clean your tongue with your toothbrush or use a tongue scraper to get rid of any built-up bacteria on your tongue. Rinse your mouth with water and floss your teeth. Flossing is one of the most important steps because debris stuck between your teeth can cause bad breath more than you might think. After your mouth is squeaky clean, rinse with a mouth wash for perfect breath! Make sure to repeat this routine twice a day for best results.
2. Probiotics
When you suffer from bad breath, one of the first things you probably do is reach for that bottle of mint-flavored mouthwash. And while the mint can help make your mouth feel and smell fresh in an instant, it is only a temporary fix.
The thing about mouthwash is that they tend to kill both good and bad bacteria in your mouth. So here comes a much better solution – probiotics. Probiotics work by shifting the ratio of good and bad bacteria in your mouth which, in turn, leads to better health.
The best example of probiotic-rich food is yogurt. To use it as the remedy, try swishing it all around your mouth.
3. Cinnamon
Cinnamon consists of essential oil called cinnamic aldehyde, which helps fight bad breath by reducing the number of bad bacteria in the mouth.
Make a cinnamon mouthwash by adding a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to a cup of boiling water. Mix in some bay leaf and cardamom seeds. Allow for a few minutes to infuse, then strain. Use the solution as a mouth rinse twice a day.
4. Cloves
Are cloves good for bad breath? Like cinnamon, cloves also have that antibacterial benefit that helps get rid of the foul odor. There are two ways to use this as a home remedy.
You can chew whole pieces of cloves or make them into a tea that you can rinse your mouth with.
To make clove tea, add a teaspoon of ground cloves into boiling water, and simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Lemon Juice
The use of lemon juice in bad breath has been known for generations already. This acidic fruit can prevent the growth of bacteria, while at the same time masking the foul odor with its strong, pleasant smell.
Prepare this home remedy by stirring in a tablespoon of lemon juice in a cup of water. You may add some salt for better effects.
Not only will the solution solve bad breath itself, but it shall address dry mouth as well.
6. Apple Cider Benefits
Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits and fighting bad breath is one of them. Aside from being an antibacterial, it also has some pH-balancing properties.
To use it as a home remedy, mix a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar into a glass of water. You can gargle vinegar for bad breath or drink it before meals. Drinking the mixture shall help cure bad breath by improving your digestion.
7. Green Tea
Green tea is rich with antioxidants such as Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that target one of the bacteria found in your mouth that causes bad breath and gum disease. By drinking green tea, you can reduce the bacteria in your mouth and therefore any bad breath.
Visit Your San Diego Dentist
If you don’t notice any improvement after a few weeks of trying these remedies, you may now seek your dentist for help. Sometimes, the cause of bad breath goes beyond poor oral hygiene. With regular dental cleanings and examinations, we can keep your mouth clean and treat underlying problems as we find them. You won’t have to suffer from bad breath ever again. Please contact us today to schedule your next dental cleaning.