Bad breath is caused by the accumulation of bacteria which resides in your teeth, mouth and gums and causes odor. If you are worried about bad breath during a meeting that follows your meal or during a romantic evening with your partner, then worry not. You do not always have to resort to eating the artificial mouth freshener loaded with sugar. There are many quick ways to fix bad breath. Try some of these natural mouth fresheners to kiss goodbye to bad breath.
- First things first. Keep your mouth clean. I know you cannot brush your teeth at work after lunch. But the least you can do is to swish your mouth with some water after every snack or meal. Drink lots of water through the day since a dry mouth can cause accumulation of bacteria that causes smelly breath.
- If there is parsley or cilantro leaves served with your salad, then reserve some till the end of the main course and then chew on it. They are rich in chlorophyll, which has both odor and germ fighting abilities.
- Fennel seeds or saunf is traditionally served at the end of every meal in India and with a good reason. Not only does chewing on fennel seeds help aid digestion of your food and relieve flatulence, it also helps in freshening your breath and controlling any acid reflux.
Read more about the benefits of eating saunf here
- Clove is another option for freshening the breath. It has for long been used to treat toothaches and used in toothpaste formulations. The essential oils in clove helps clear out the bacteria in the mouth and keeps it smelling fresh. Just place a clove in your mouth after rinsing it and chew on it for some time, until all the juice from it is extracted and your mouth smells spicy fresh.
- Cinnamon, like clove has essential oils that will fight bad breath causing bacteria. If you find it difficult to chew on a cinnamon stick, brew a small stick of it into a tea with some hot water and sip on it.
- Mint is the prime ingredient in artificial mouth fresheners, so much that the mouth fresheners have come to be known as mint. Simply chew on a few mint leaves for a minty breath or sip on a cup of mint tea in order to keep bad breath away.
- Cardamom is a traditional mouth freshener known for its sweet spicy flavor that is used to enhance sweet dishes. Peel a cardamom pod and chew on its seeds or if you find the taste too strong, simply place an unopened pod in your mouth and circulate it around the mouth, rather than chewing it. It will immediately release juices which will freshen your breath and leave it sweet smelling.
- If you can lay your hands on an orange after a meal, eat an orange. Or if you have a lemon wedge served along with your food, suck on it after you have completed your meal. Citrus foods help in increasing the secretion of saliva, which in turn helps fight odor in the mouth. Eating anything citrus-y after a meal will keep you smelling fresh!
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