Introduction
Bad breath – also called halitosis – is a common problem that is very unpleasant and embarrassing for many people affected. Out of shame, those suffering from halitosis can even be tempted to avoid direct contact with their fellow men, which is ultimately also a psychological burden. In addition, one hardly notices one’s own bad breath and is often only alerted to it by others when it is already very pronounced. Fortunately, there are some useful home remedies that contribute to an improvement in addition to the conventional dental products.
Which home remedies can help against bad breath?
In order to answer this question, the reasons for bad breath should first be discussed. Basically, the unpleasant smell is caused by the bacteria that colonize our mouth and throat. They metabolize the food left in the mouth and form degradation products, which are then perceived by humans as unpleasant.
Thus, the aim of home remedies should be to fight the bacteria responsible for the development of bad breath and reduce their number. However, care should also be taken to ensure that these household remedies are not harmful to the mucous membrane of the mouth and to the teeth, otherwise you risk greater harm than good. In the following, some household remedies against halitosis are now presented and their mode of action explained briefly.
A common advice is to drink plenty of water. Frequent drinking ensures that the mouth remains moist and does not dry out. This leads to a more effective elimination of unwanted acids and prevents the development of halitosis.
Sage contains a wide variety of essential oils. People discovered this several thousand years ago and used sage as a medicinal plant. These oils have an antibacterial effect, which is why drinking sage tea or chewing fresh sage leaves is useful against bad breath.
The active ingredients can reduce the number of bacteria in the oral cavity and thus eliminate unpleasant odors. Since sage has many other positive properties, its use is recommended for everyone. Another household remedy against annoying bad breath is apple vinegar.
You can easily buy it in any supermarket and use it to reduce unpleasant odors. On the one hand, the acidic properties of vinegar lead to the displacement of unwanted bacteria and thus to a reduced formation of odors. On the other hand, the apple vinegar effectively binds the resulting substances.
When using it, it is best to gargle it in your mouth and then spit it out again so that the bateria and their metabolic products are not absorbed. Propolis is a natural product produced by bees. It is a resinous mass, but can also be bought in liquid form.
In Propolis a multiplicity of different substances is contained, which exhibit above all an antibacterial effect. Thus the bee resin is very well suitable for the disinfection of the oral cavity and simultaneous elimination of bad breath. If one decides for this way, one should inform oneself with the purchase whether the product is suitable also for swallowing or is meant only for rinsing the oral cavity.
Healing earth is a powder that is extracted from earth deposits. It contains loess, loam and clay with many minerals, whose exact composition is often not known. The field of application of healing earth is wide and it is even said to help against bad breath.
The minerals of the earth have the ability to absorb and neutralize the unwanted odors. It is best to mix the healing clay with water to a liquid consistency and gargle or keep it in the mouth for a few minutes and then spit it out. Lemon water not only tastes refreshing, but also makes your breath fresher and more pleasant.
This is especially helpful in the case of bad breath, as the natural product can cover it up, which is why it is added to the list of household remedies for bad breath. It is best to mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with mineral water and enjoy it throughout the day. Brine is a homemade drink made from water that is completely saturated with salt.
If you want to make brine yourself, you should add salt to a glass of water until it cannot dissolve any further and settles on the bottom.Most bacteria do not tolerate the high salt content and thus perish, which ultimately reduces the development of bad breath. Tea tree oil is also a product of nature that has a remarkable antibacterial effect. It is extracted from the leaves and branches of the Australian tea tree and contains a large number of different essential oils that can help with medical problems.
One of them is of course bad breath. As with most household remedies, the essential oils help reduce the bacteria in the oral flora that are responsible for bad breath. More about this topic under.
Tea tree oil xylitol is best known from chewing gum, where it serves as a sugar substitute. However, it can also prove extremely useful in combating bad breath. Xylitol is also called birch sugar and belongs to the group of substances known as sugars.
Compared to household sugar, the body cannot metabolize xylitol, which is why it has no calories. Studies show that the substance can prevent tooth decay because it is toxic to the bacteria concerned. Thus, the substance helps against both caries and bad breath and is recommended to everyone.
Reduced salivation can also be the cause of bad breath. Saliva contains many immunological substances that help to maintain a healthy oral flora. If less saliva is produced, the balance can be upset and odor-forming bacteria can settle.
Chewing gum stimulates the large salivary glands and produces more saliva, which helps to defend against bacteria and normalizes the oral flora. Improving oral hygiene may sound banal at first, but it is in fact the most important item on the list to effectively eliminate bad breath. Poor hygiene leads to the formation of plaques in which bacteria multiply very effectively and cause bad odors.
With thorough oral hygiene, the plaque can be removed, the number of bacteria reduced and the bad breath problem solved. It is recommended to brush the teeth twice a day for about two minutes, use interdental space brushes and brush the tongue with a tongue cleaner. Mouth rinsing solutions also help to prevent bad breath.
