Natural Remedies for Bad Breath.

Talking about bad breath can be such a taboo topic, I often find it is a topic that patients are afraid to discuss in clinic.

Here we discuss the tried and tested remedies to help alleviate the symptoms and combat bad breath for good.

Causes may include however not limited to;

• Poor dental hygiene, tooth decay and or gum disease (periodontal disease)
• Nose and throat infections
• Breathing with your mouth open
• Postnasal drip
• Digestive issues, such as lack of digestive juices
• Bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract
• Poor gut health
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Dehydration
• Acid reflux
• Liver toxicity
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Tonsil infection or stones
• Constipation – poor elimination
• Nutrient imbalances

Action plan

Eat/drink

• Eat Watercress and other bitter containing foods such as endive, radicchio, Chicory, rocket, etc as they have a warming and bitter action on the digestive tract, assisting function.
• Eat Alfalfa sprouts, they are packed full of nutrients and probiotics helping to cleanse your digestive system.
• Raid the spice self – Cloves are rich in eugenol, a potent antibacterial. Simply pop one into your mouth and dent it with your teeth. The pungent aromatic oil may burn slightly, so keep it moving. Continue to bite until the essence permeates your mouth, then spit it out. Chew on fennel, dill, cardamom, or anise seeds. Anise, which tastes like black licorice, can kill the bacteria that grow on the tongue. The others can help mask the odour of halitosis. Suck on a stick of cinnamon. Like cloves, cinnamon is effective as an antiseptic.
• Fresh juicing can help to neutralise odors which are the result of the undigested food residues. It also helps to enhance the terrain of the GI tract, keeping the critters like parasites, viruses, bacteria, mold, yeast, and fungus that live and thrive off of the undigested waste matter in check.
  • Here’s a juice recipe to help eliminate bad breath:
  • – 1 bundle of mint
  • – 1 bundle of kale
  • – 1 bundle coriander
  • – 1 bundle parsley (magic ingredient)
  • – 1 cucumber
  • – 6 stalks celery
  • – 4 apples

  Makes approx. 1 litre

• Avoid –  excess sugar and refined carbohydrates consumption. These cause tooth decay and encourage yeasts and unhelpful organisms in the gut.
• Avoid – excessive alcohol and caffeine intake as they add to dehydration.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water and other fluids will help keep your mouth moist – avoid sugar or alcohol though.

Herbs and supplements

• Liquid chlorophyll can help gut health and keep you regular.
• Chew on a small sprig of fresh rosemary, parsley, spearmint, or tarragon for up to a minute after meals to freshen breath
• Digestive enzymes may benefit some, they can help to improve the breakdown of foods that can otherwise putrefy and cause bad odours.
• Lactobacillus and acidophilus Bifidus can aid in re-establishing the balance of good bacteria in the gut.
• Vitamin A – Required for the healing of gum tissue and useful for any tooth or gum disorders. Vitamin A can be found in foods such as; eggs, cod liver oil, orange, yellow fruits and vegetables, and herring.
• Molybdenum – An essential trace mineral that helps prevent tooth decay. Signs of deficiency can include mouth and gum disorders. Molybdenum can be found in whole grains and legumes such as peas, beans, lentils.
• Folate – Deficiency is often associated with cracks on the lips or a sore inflamed tongue. Supplementation is useful in the treatment in mouth ulcers. Food sources include; leafy green vegetables, grains, legumes, eggs, nuts and seeds, wheatgerm.
• Coenzyme Q10 – Assists with gum cell growth and healing of gum tissue. Food sources include; heart, liver, kidney, trout, herring, mackerel, lentils and peanuts.
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and helps promote healing, especially of bleeding gums. Bioflavonoids help to stop plaque growth. Food sources of vitamin C include; oranges, berries, capsicum, tomatoes, kiwifruit, parsley, kale.
• Probiotics – Help to prevent bacteria build-up and mouth diseases. Food sources of probiotics include; yoghurt, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso.
• Zinc – Enhances immune function and is needed to prevent infection and promote healing. Food sources of zinc include; shellfish, legumes, nuts and seeds, eggs, whole grains.

Extra tips

• Regular brushing and flossing 2-3 times a day.
• Avoid mouthwashes with alcohol. Alcohol can dry out the mouth, which contributes to bad breath.
• Use a tongue scraper, which helps to remove dead cells, food particles and bacteria from the tongue. A tongue scraper is a special plastic or metal instrument found in all good health food stores or bought here
• Studies have shown that baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, can effectively kill bacteria in the mouth, toothpaste containing high concentrations of baking soda effectively reduce bad breath.
• Try a 30-second mouthwash rinse that is alcohol-free (unlike many off-the-shelf products). Mix a cup of water with a teaspoon of baking soda (which changes the pH level and fights odor in the mouth) and a few drops of peppermint, clove, tea tree, and orange essential oil. Don’t swallow it! (Yields several rinses.)
• Coconut oil – Studies have shown that oil pulling can be an effective way to treat halitosis.
• Activated charcoal cleanses both the mouth and the digestive tract. Activated charcoal is one of the world’s oldest and trusted detoxifying remedies. It helps to absorb toxins from the body and also improve the GI health, which in turn enhances breath odor. With the major source of bad breath being the mouth, you can neutralize offensive breath by swishing charcoal tablets in your mouth. So, even before it gets into your GI tract, it already eliminates the mouth odor.

I hope you have found some of this info helpful please feel free to email me at hello@thewholisticlife.com.au if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment. 

I would love to see how I can assist you in your health journey.

In Health and Wellness

Kristy xx