Home Remedies for Halitosis

Halitosis may seem to be trivial issue and it isn’t life threatening, but it is certainly no laughing matter. Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath and this can be quite serious as a social problem and thereby give rise to psychological disorders. Halitosis can cause extremely embarrassing situations in social interactions and relationships at work and in your personal life as well. Halitosis can be extremely damaging to an individual’s self esteem and confidence giving rise to severe depression and isolation. Individuals who suffer from halitosis tend to avoid interactions for fear of embarrassment and to avoid any awkward interactions. There are therefore a lot of misgivings about halitosis and bad breath. Very often an individual may be blissfully ignorant about the condition but could cause discomfort to those around. Part of the reason for the unpleasant social status of the condition could be attributed to the fact that most of us tend to assume that poor dental hygiene is the cause for the condition.

While bad breath or halitosis may be caused by poor dental hygiene and can certainly be aggravated by it, this is not the only cause, and many a time an individual may suffer from halitosis despite maintaining a stringent dental care routine. No matter what the cause the unpleasant odor can generally be attributed to a bacterial build up in the mouth. Bacteria exist in the mouth even in healthy individuals and they do interact with food residue or debris in the mouth producing a foul odor. This becomes a problem when the bacterial population begins to increase dramatically.

Bad breath may also be caused as a result of some other medical condition and may even be aggravated or caused by poor eating habits and food choices or an unhealthy lifestyle. Conditions like liver or kidney disorders may cause halitosis, which is why if bad breath remedies and other home treatments do not produce any results you should get medical attention.

Bad Breath Cure or Home Remedy for Bad Breath

Halitosis refers to foul or bad breath, which is not an uncommon condition. Unfortunately, most people who offend in this respect are completely unaware of their problem. Bad breath usually originates from the mouth and the intensity or severity of the problem may vary during the day depending on the type of foods consumed. Certain foods like garlic and onions or red meat and fish can severely aggravate the problem, and smoking or alcohol consumption can also aggravate it greatly. Bad breath can also be caused by dryness of the mouth, which is why individuals who do not consume adequate water may suffer from halitosis. Very often the problem may be present only in the morning because the inactivity and lack of oxygen in the mouth during the night could cause the odor to worsen. It generally reduces after rinsing the mouth or brushing the teeth. It’s therefore quite hard to prevent bad breath in the early morning or for that matter even when fasting. Chronic bad breath is however a persistent problem that should be treated with medical care.

Halitosis can affect absolutely anyone irrespective of age or gender. The problem does tend to be quite common in the aged because tooth decay generally advances with age. But tooth decay is again not a restrictive condition and could affect anyone. In addition halitosis has many other causes. Halitosis in children is in fact not uncommon, because of unhealthy eating habits and poor dental care. Bad breath remedies for children should therefore primarily focus on good dental care and healthy eating habits. In mild cases, treating halitosis at home will be quite simple but if unresponsive halitosis treatment should be sought from your doctor.

Halitosis Symptoms

Bad Breath

The most obvious sign of bad breath is when you smell your own breath! Put a handkerchief or even blow on your palm and smell. If the smell is odorous, you have bad breath.

Self diagnosis is off course not very effective at most times as experts believe that acclimatization hampers detection of halitosis symptoms. For this reason it may be wise to confide in a trusted family member to make the diagnosis and to detect whether the emanating odor originates from the mouth or nose.

Another symptom of halitosis that could actually be the cause of the problem is dryness of the mouth. If you experience noticeable dryness of the mouth or observe a coating on the tongue there is a good chance that you suffer from halitosis.

Halitosis Causes

Diseased Gums, Dental Decay

The most common cause of bad breath (halitosis) is diseased gums. Dental decay at the roots of the teeth may result in abscesses in the gums with foul-smelling pus, giving an objectionable odour to the breath. Even small holes in the teeth may provide a place where germs can multiply and release foul odours.

Conditions of Nose, Throat and Respiratory Tract

Other causes of bad breath are conditions of the nose, throat, respiratory tract, or stomach which are associated with chronic infection or local upsets of one sort or another, such as chronic tonsillitis, lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis, chronic gastritis, and sinusitis which causes a discharge at the back of the throat. Many cases of bad breath, however, are caused by gastro-intestinal disorders, intestinal sluggishness and particularly by chronic constipation.

Halitosis Causes

Bad breath or halitosis causes are typically attributed to bacterial activity in the mouth that causes a release of chemical molecules that contain sulfur. A high protein diet can aggravate the problem as these chemicals are released from bacterial activity on protein.

Smoking

Smoking is known to be a common cause for halitosis and can also aggravate the problem. This may also be because of the increased risk of gum disease from smoking.

Diet

You may also need to be careful about your diet as there are certain foods like garlic, onion and some strong spices like cumin that can contribute to the problem. Protein rich foods, particularly foods like red meat, fish and cheese may also contribute to halitosis. Low carbohydrate diets are also known to aggravate or contribute to the problem of bad breath. Crisp and hard foods like chips often tend to get lodged in the mouth and if you don’t brush your teeth and rinse your mouth thoroughly enough it would increase bacterial activity and decay.

Dry Mouth

Dryness of the mouth may be caused by various factors including certain illnesses. At other times simply not drinking enough water can cause dryness of the mouth, which will result in halitosis. In such a scenario it is important that you increase your fluid intake with water and fresh fruit juices. Chewing on sugar free chewing gums will also help to stimulate saliva production, which will help neutralize bacterial activity and the consequent tooth decay.

Dental Wear

Dentures or dental appliances may very well be part of the problem as it is common for food debris to get lodged in braces or other appliances, particularly if not cleansed properly. Dentures that have been poorly fitted can also cause abrasions or sores in the mouth that may result in localized infections resulting in halitosis. Certain medical conditions and drugs may also cause halitosis to develop like diabetes or gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Home remedy for bad breath (Halitosis)

Halitosis Treatment using Fenugreek

Among the several home remedies for halitosis, the use of fenugreek has proved most effective. A tea made from the seeds of this vegetable should be taken regularly for correcting the condition. This tea is prepared by putting one teaspoon of seeds in half a litre of cold water and allowing it to simmer for fifteen minutes over a low flame. It should then be strained and used as tea.

Halitosis Treatment using Avocado

Another effective remedy for bad breath is avocado, which is far superior to any mouth lotion or remedies for this condition. It effectively removes intestinal putrefaction or decomposition which is one of the most important causes of bad breath.

Halitosis Treatment using Guava

Unripe guava is useful in halitosis. It is rich in tannic, malic, oxalic, and phosphoric acids as well as calcium, oxalate, and manganese. Chewing it is an excellent tonic for the teeth and gums. It helps cure bleeding from gums and stops bad breath. Chewing tender leaves of guava tree also stops bleeding from gums and bad breath.

Halitosis Treatment using Parsley

Parsley is a valuable Cure for bad breath. Two cups of water should be boiled and several sprigs of parsley, coarsely chopped, should be steeped in this water along with two or three whole cloves or a quarter teaspoon of ground cloves. This mixture should be stirred occasionally while cooling. It should then be strained and used as a mouthwash or gargle several times a day.

Halitosis Treatment using Raw Juices

All fruit and vegetable juices are beneficial in the treatment of halitosis and should be taken liberally by those suffering from this disorder. Juices from green vegetables are especially valuable.

Halitosis Diet

A Well Balanced Diet

Patients suffering from halitosis should take a well-balanced diet consisting of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits, with emphasis on raw and cooked vegetables, and fruits. In case of constipation, all measures should be adopted for its eradication. The patient should avoid refined carbohydrate foods, such as white sugar; white bread and products made from them, as well as meat find eggs.

Other Suggestions for Halitosis

Other Bad Breath Treatment

The teeth should be cleaned twice a day, especially before going to bed at night. Meat particles should be removed carefully with toothpicks. In case of decaying teeth and swollen and bleeding gums, a dentist should be consulted. Munching a raw apple or guava after lunch removes most of the trapped particles. The use of the twigs of the margosa (margosa) tree as a toothbrush is the best method of cleaning the teeth.