All of us experience having bad breath on occasion, from the dreaded “morning mouth” to more chronic instances. We make some companies rich by purchasing their products that promise to help freshen our offensive breath, so we can attract the opposite sex or get that promotion we’ve been hoping for, etc.. We keep a handy supply of gum and mints in our pockets and purses, so we can quickly pop them into our mouths to avoid having the population scatter when we open our mouths. The fact is that, while these products may momentarily mask breath odor, they may not eliminate the overall root of the problem.
There are some situations in which unpleasant breath odor still lingers, in spite of the use of mints and other similar products, to the point that it can be deblilitating. You may not even realize that you have major problems, since it isn’t always easy to tell when foul aromas are emanating from our own persons. A simple way to find out is to rub your tongue with sides of a spoon, followed by giving a whiff to the spoon to see what kind of smell is there. Sounds gross, but it’s an accurate method for helping you find out if you are suffering from an acute case of bad breath.
What do you do when you discover that this is indeed occurring?
See your doctor
Bad breath could be caused by an underlying physical condition you are unaware of. Make an appointment to see your doctor for a complete physical exam, to rule out the possibility of your bad breath being caused by a serious disease or condition. Find out if any of the prescription meds you are presently on may be responsible.
Improve your dental hygiene
You have to brush your teeth and floss on a regular basis, to keep food particles from staying and decaying in your mouth. Invest in a serrated tongue scraper and use it after breakfast and prior to your going to bed for the night, afterwards cleansing the scraper with 3% peroxide to make sure no food particles and germs are left. Make good dental hygiene a normal routine.
Kiss smoking goodbye
If nothing else inspires you to stop smoking, then the pungent odor it produces in your mouth should motivate you to give up this unhealthy habit. Your saliva flow is decreased by smoking, meaning it’s harder to cleanse the inside of your mouth. Face it- “cigarette breath” is just not a pleasant thing to smell.
Increase your water intake
The reality is that most of us don’t drink an adequate amount of water. We should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water on a daily basis, to keep our mouths from getting dry, which could exacerbate the probability of germs thriving there.
Go with a natural mouth wash
Use natural mouthwashes, containing ingredients, such as tea tree oil, instead of the alcohol-based mouthwashes usually sold in stores. You can even make your own mouthwash by combining 1 ounce of powdered myrrh or cloves to 2 cups of boiling distilled water, leaving the concoction in a mason jar overnight and straining, so that only liquid is left. The taste is very invigorating and it helps to get rid of bad breath.
Try liquid chlorophyll
Liquid chlorophyll can be purchased at any health food store. You can either take 2 tablespoons of it full-strength or, to make it easier on your stomach, add them to a 4-ounce glass of water, with a little bit of lemon. It will cleanse your breath, as well as your whole system in general.
Chew parsley
This herb is usually used as a garnish, but try chewing a teaspoon of fresh parsley after meals for an easy breath freshener. It also aids digestion and also contains chlorophyll.
