Having bad breath is often embarrassing and it seriously affects our social life. Though it is cited that bad breath occurs due to bacterial infection in the mouth, it can also occur due to some other serious reasons. Medical conditions like oral diseases, respiratory infection, liver/ kidney/gastrointestinal disorders or diabetes can also trigger bad breath in people.
In such cases, treating these medical conditions may be necessary in order to get rid of bad breath. On the other hand, if the foul odor is due to the bacteria in the mouth, then it can be best treated with the help of certain easily available wonderful herbs.
Herbs That Can Treat Bad Breath
The following are some of the effective herbs which can be either chewed, or used as mouthwash, or brewed as tea and consumed in order to effectively fight the bacteria causing bad breath in the mouth.
Chews
Mint
Mint is a common culinary herb which is said to have the tendency of refreshing your breath. It is a much popular herb to fight bad breath and therefore it is usually used as a main ingredient in toothpastes and mouthwashes. Moreover, it is much more effective in fighting strong odors like garlic and onions. Hence, chewing a fresh sprig of mint leaves can give you a great relief from bad breath.
Neem
Neem is a wonderful herb well known for its ayurvedic properties and it contains antifungal and antibacterial properties by nature. While other kinds of herbs may provide only a temporary relief, neem can give you a permanent relief by effectively fighting against the bacteria and removing the foul odor in you mouth. Hence, either chewing these leaves or taking neem supplements can relieve you from bad breath.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a pigment found in plants and it is the one that usually helps them to grow. It is also said to possess the ability of absorbing strong odors. Hence, certain kinds of herbs such as parsley, basil, alfalfa, cilantro, rosemary and peppermint which are rich in chlorophyll can help in fighting with the bad breath. These herbs can be easily grown in containers and chewing a handful of them can be an effective solution for getting rid of bad breath.
Sage Leaves
Sage leaves are an excellent option for a bad breath relief. These leaves can either be chewed or prepared as tea and consumed to get good relief. In order to prepare this tea you have to take two cups of water and add a tablespoon of chopped sage leaves into it and bring it to a boil. Now strain this solution and drink it to get great results.
Dill Leaves
Dill leaves also has the capability of removing bad odor in the mouth. Hence, chewing these leaves or boiling these leaves and rinsing your mouth with its solution can help you in relieving bad breath.
Spices
There are certain kinds of spices which are very effective mouth fresheners. Spices such as cloves, anise seeds and fennel seeds can be used as chews and they greatly help in fighting bad breath. Cloves, which are usually the dried flower buds, are commonly found in countries like India and Indonesia.
One or two cloves can be tucked into the mouth and chewed slowly or they can also be boiled and used as mouthwash for eliminating bad breath. Spices such as anise seeds and fennel seeds can be taken a teaspoonful only after meals and chewing those helps greatly in relieving bad breath as well as in aiding digestion.
Mouthwashes
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is an effective herbal oil which is strong in its aroma and contains great antiseptic and anti bacterial properties. Hence, by adding two or three drops of this oil to distilled water and rinsing your mouth with it may give you excellent results in getting rid of bad breath. A drop of this oil can also be added to your toothpaste and brushing with it regularly can help to eliminate odor causing bacteria in your mouth.
Herbal Oils
Apart from the tea tree oil certain herbal oils like winter green and peppermint oils can also be used in the same way to rinse your mouth. Adding two or three drops of these herbal oils in your tea can give you a minty fresh breath and a fresh feel.
Tinctures
Cineole is an ingredient that is generally used in pharmaceutical preparations. It is an oily liquid which is said to possess bacteria killing antiseptic properties. Certain tinctures such as eucalyptus and cardamom tinctures are said to contain cineole and hence they can be used as effective mouthwashes by diluting these solutions with distilled water.
Coriander Rinse
In order to remove bad breath you can also try a coriander rinse. A handful of this herb should be boiled in water for about 10 minutes and strained and allowed to cool. This solution should then be used to rinse the mouth.
Aloe Vera Rinse
As this herb is well known for all its goodness and medicinal properties, it can also help in relieving breath odors. The gel should be removed from this plant and it should be mixed with water and a bit of honey and this solution can be used to rinse the mouth to get great results.
Teas
Fenugreek Tea
You can also fight bad breath by having a cupful of tea prepared of fenugreek. In order to prepare this tea, after boiling a cup of water add a few seeds of fenugreek and let is stay for 5 minutes. Now strain this solution and add some honey and consume it to have an odorless mouth.
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas such as green tea and other teas made up of special herbs such as myrrh, bloodroot and Echinacea can help in relieving odor problems in the mouth. Usually, teas are said to contain polyphenols, which have an antimicrobial effect and hence they can effectively help in removing the bad breath causing volatile sulphur compounds in the mouth. Hence, tea prepared with a combination of these natural herbs can be much effective than any other kind of methods like brushing, chewing or rinsing your mouth.
