Monday 29 January 2018

BAD BREATH: NATURAL SOLUTIONS

Bad breath or ‘Halitosis’, as it is medically known, doesn’t just originate in the mouth, but can be caused by different conditions in the tongue, nose, gums, tonsils, digestive tract, stomach, and even some systemic diseases. It’s important to consider the most commonly known bad breath causes are imbalances in mouth bacteria (microbiome). Most people look to get rid of bad breath with mouthwash or mints, but this doesn’t solve the problem. Nature is full of compounds that help heal your oral, gut and digestive system. By working these remedies into your daily routine, it’s possible to find a natural solution that can help with bad breath.

NATURAL REMEDIES:

1: WARM SEA SALT WATER RINSE:
*1 teaspoon sea salt
*A glass of warm water

A salt water (saline solution) rinse can prevent the buildup of infectious bacteria in the mouth or throat. The effect is probably due to salt water’s slight acidity. This prevents the ‘alkalizing’ environment that encourages the growth of microbes that cause bad breath.

2: EPSOM SALT WATER RINSE:
* 1 teaspoon Epsom salt
* A glass of lukewarm water
* Mix the salt in the water and gargle with this.
* Do this every day initially. After a while, do it every alternate day.

When it comes to toxin removal, Epsom salt is a remarkable ingredient. It also has natural antibacterial properties that fight oral bacteria and eliminate odour in the mouth.

3: ALOE VERA:
* Simply boil some water and add aloe Vera gel once it is cooled, or peel and blend fresh aloe vera.
* Add a few drops of peppermint oil to taste.

Aloe Vera is a natural antifungal and antibacterial plant extract. Research has shown it’s as effective at reducing plaque. It also boosts the creation of collagen, improving the mouth’s ability to heal.

4: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:
* 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
* A glass of cold water
* Make a solution of the vinegar and water.
* Use this as a mouthwash. Gargle for 3-5 minutes.
* Rinse your mouth with plain water.
* Do this in the morning and also before going to bed.

Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties and restores the pH balance.

5: DIGESTIVE ENZYMES:
Your bad breath may be caused by your digestive system. If you have digestive problems and suffer from bad breath too, digestive enzymes may help your digestion. Digestive enzyme products are available in health foods stores or naturally found in:

* Bromelain contained in pineapple
* Papain contained in green papaya

6: ACTIVATED CHARCOAL:
* ½ teaspoon activated charcoal
* Toothbrush
* Brush your teeth with activated charcoal.
* Rinse your mouth thoroughly to remove all the charcoal.
* Use activated charcoal 2-3 times a week until the bad breath problem is cured.

Activated charcoal absorbs the impurities in your mouth, It is also good for whitening your teeth.

7: FENNEL SEEDS:
* 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
* Chew on the fennel seeds and ingest them.
* Use this remedy as and when required.

Fennel seed helps to freshen breath and can help fight infections that may be causing bad breath.

8: GINGER:
* 1 teaspoon ginger juice
* A glass of warm water
* Grate and squeeze the ginger root to extract fresh juice.
* Add this juice to warm water and rinse your mouth with it.
* Do this after your meals initially, and then, once every few days to help  keep bad breath at bay.

The antimicrobial properties of ginger helps to eliminate bad odour as well asto fight agaisnt different types of oral and throat infections.

9: GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT:
* 1-2 drops grapefruit seed extract (available from health food stores)
* Brush your teeth as usual.
* Put the grapefruit seed extract on your toothbrush and gently rub it on your teeth.
* Rinse your teeth with clean water.
* Repeat this every day, and you will notice a difference in a week.

This citrus extract deodorises the mouth and helps eliminates any bacteria that may be growing.

10: CINNAMON:
* ½ tablespoon cinnamon powder
* 1-2 tablespoons honey (preferably Manuka honey)
* 2 lemons
* A cup of hot water
* Pour fresh juice squeezed out from the lemons in an airtight container.
* To this, add the cinnamon powder and honey.
* Pour the hot water over this, close the lid, and shake well to mix all the ingredients.
* Use 1-2 tablespoons of this blend to rinse your mouth after you brush your teeth.
* Rinse your mouth with plain water.
* You can store the remaining cinnamon mouthwash in the airtight container for future use.

Repeat this every day for a few days or as required.

Cinnamon and honey both possess antimicrobial properties that will help disinfect and cleanse your mouth. Lemon also contains acids that have a bactericidal effect on the oral flora while balancing the pH in the mouth.

CINNAMON CHEWING STICKS:
Cinnamon is also thought to have thought to have digestive and respiratory benefits. Cinnamon chewing sticks also contain fibre that supports microbial diversity in the mouth.

11: GREEN TEA:
* 1 green tea bag
* A cup of hot water
* Steep the tea bag for a few minutes and then remove it.
* Add honey to taste and sip on this tea.
* You can try drinking 3-5 cups of green tea per day or taking a polyphenol EGCG supplement.

Having green tea early in the morning instead of tea or coffee can be helpful. The phytochemicals in green tea are naturally antibacterial and will wash away and eliminate the odor-causing bacteria. Research has found that green tea temporarily reduces malodor due to its antibacterial and deodorant action. This is probably due to the actions of the polyphenols, antioxidants it contains.

12: PARSLEY:
* A few fresh parsley leaves
* Chew the fresh leaves directly or add them as a garnish on your food.
* Include parsley in your regular diet.

Parsley not only makes digestion effective and easy, but it is also a good home remedy for halitosis. The chlorophyll in parsley acts as an antibacterial and helps in eliminating the odour-causing bacteria from the mouth and the throat.

13: LEMON JUICE & YOGURT:
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1-2 tablespoons plain yogurt
* Mix the two ingredients and apply the mixture onto your teeth.
* Leave it on for 5-7 minutes and then rinse your mouth.
* Use this remedy as and when required.

Lemon juice is antibacterial in nature and will remove the odour-causing bacteria. The good bacteria present in natural yogurt will restore the balance in the natural flora of your oral cavity.

14: BAKING SODA:
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon lemon juice
* Mix the ingredients to get a coarse paste. Gently rub this paste on your teeth.
* Leave it on for a minute and then rinse your mouth with clean water.
* Repeat this once a week.
** CAUTION: Do not use this remedy too often as excessive use of baking soda can damage the tooth enamel.

Baking soda balances the pH levels in the mouth and brings down the acidity as it is a natural antacid. Along with the antibacterial properties of lemon juice, this remedy makes for a potent combination to remove bad breath.

15: CARDAMON:
* 1 cardamoN pod
* Chew on the pod as a whole or peel the pod and chew on the seeds present inside.
* You can ingest the cardamom after chewing.

Whenever you have had a meal with garlic and onions or any other food item that has a strong odour, pop a cardamom pod into your mouth after the meal.

Cardamom has been used for centuries in India after meals. It acts as an aromatic freshener for your mouth and reduces bad breath by acting as a deodoriser. It masks the bad odour with its fragrance.

16: HYDROGEN PEROXIDE:
* 1 tablespoon 3% hydrogen peroxide solution
* ½ cup water
* Dilute the hydrogen peroxide in water and rinse your mouth with this solution.
* Gently brush your teeth, gums, and tongue to remove all residue.
* Rinse your mouth with plain water.
* Do this in the mornings after brushing your teeth. Use it intermittently through the week for best results.
**CAUTION: Do not use this remedy repetitively every day as hydrogen peroxide can damage the teeth and gums on excessive exposure.

Hydrogen peroxide is a potent antimicrobial solution that can easily get rid of bad breath caused by bacteria.

17: GUAVA:
*Unripe guava
*Eat this fruit anytime during the day. You can also cut it into pieces and sprinkle some salt and black pepper powder on it for flavour.
*Eat guavas a few times during the week.

Loaded with vitamin C, tannic acid, malic acid, and oxalate, guava is a good remedy for bleeding and diseased gums, bad breath, and sensitive teeth. Chew on this fruit to improve your overall oral health.

18: SESAME OIL
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* Lukewarm water
* Swish the oil around in your mouth for 10-15 minutes.
* Spit it out and gargle with lukewarm water.
* Do this every day in the morning.

Like coconut oil, sesame oil helps cleanse the mouth and improves dental health. An added benefit of using this remedy is that sesame oil also helps to whiten teeth.

19: Coconut Oil
* 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
* Swish coconut oil around in your mouth for 10-15 minutes and then spit it out.
* Use lukewarm water to rinse your mouth after this.
* Repeat this every day until the bad breath is gone.

Coconut oil swishing is a popular technique used to help  keep the mouth healthy and bacteria-free. This oil has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties

20: GUM
Continually chewing sugar-free gum can help halitosis by promoting and maintaining a healthy flow of saliva in the mouth and throat.

21: Eucalyptus Oil:
* 1 cup water
* 2-3 drops eucalyptus oil
* Gargle with a mixture of the essential oil and water.
* Rinse your mouth with plain water.
* Repeat this once every day until you get relief.

Eucalyptus oil exerts a bactericidal effect on different types of bacteria. It also has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that will help alleviate  pain or swelling present in your mouth.

22: Tea Tree Oil:
* 1-2 drops tea tree oil
* A glass of tepid water
* Add tea tree oil to the water.
* Gargle with this solution for 3-5 minutes.
* You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil to your toothpaste before brushing.
*Repeat this every day until the bad breath is gone.

Tea tree oil is a powerful antioxidant and antibacterial agent. It works against different types of bacteria and kills them

23: ESSENTIALS OILS:
Many toothpaste and mouthwashes claim to kill bacteria that cause bad breath, but they also kill the good mouth flora and microbiome. Natural products with antimicrobial properties may be more effective in preserving ‘friendly’ bacteria.

* Peppermint essential oil
For bad breath, try gargling with peppermint oil, a potent anti-microbial that kills off harmful bacteria and leaves the breath fresh. Mix 1-2 drops with water and swish the mixture around your mouth for 30 seconds.

* Lemongrass essential oil
Lemongrass has antimicrobial properties that inhibit certain bacteria, both internally and externally. It is also known to be effective against bacterial infections in the colon.
Lemongrass oil may be used as an internal or external preparation. Chewing lemon rind may also be effective.

* Eucalyptus essential oil
Eucalyptus oil is well-known for its ability to reduce mucus production. It also boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, and acts as an antioxidant, antimicrobial and pain reliever.

* Clove essential oil
Clove oil contains antifungal and antimicrobial compounds that may act against bacteria that cause bad breath and digestive problems. It’s used as a natural pain reliever, especially for dental emergencies. You can add a few drops of clove oil to water as a natural bad breath remedy.

* Orange essential oil
Cleaning products are often scented with orange due to its anti-odour properties. Orange oil is rich in the antioxidant limonene, which may help to fight bad breath causing microbes.
You can add a few drops of concentrated orange oil to water to make a drink or peel orange rind straight from the orange and chew it.

***Consult your dentist before trying these oils as a cure for bad breath and don’t use them for more than 2-3 weeks. You can try combining them to suit your taste.

24: SKIN RUBS:
Your skin microbiome communicates with your oral microbiome. Therefore, rubbing certain pleasant-smelling essential oils on your skin could have a positive effect on your bad breath. You can add these to a bath or add diluted to the skin.
* Tea tree oil is well known for its antibacterial properties. It’s especially effective against bacteria that live on the skin.
* Lavender oil is another natural anti-microbial oil that will leave your skin smelling fresh. Add a few drops to a damp cloth and dab onto your skin. essential oils can be used with carrier oils.


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