Battling Bad Breath

Bad breath can be caused by lots of things. The foods you eat (like onions and garlic), the beverages you drink (like coffee and alcohol), bad oral hygiene, smoking, dentures, certain diseases (like gingivitis and diabetes), or even the drugs you are taking.Whatever the cause, bad breath can affect every area of your life. Bad breath sufferers often find it difficult to just relax in social situations. When talking with others, they are often afraid to get to close for fear their bad breath will offend the people they are talking to. And, when it comes to kissing, bad breath can definitely put a crimp in your style.

If you suffer from occasional bad breath, there could be a simple solution to your problem. Here are some home remedies that can take care of the most common causes of bad breath.

Eliminate Bad Breath by Brushing Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth after every meal or snack, as well as after drinking coffee, soda, or alcohol, can help to get rid of many bad breath odors. So, buy a traveler’s size toothbrush, and a small tube of toothpaste, to carry it around with you. After you’ve eaten, if it’s at all possible, brush your teeth and gums. This will help get rid of plaque, one of the major causes of bad breath.

Eliminate Bad Breath by Brushing Your Tongue

When brushing their teeth, a lot of people seem to skip brushing their tongue. But the tongue is often the culprit when it comes to bad breath. So gently brush your tongue, going as far back as is comfortable for you.

Eliminate Bad Breath by Rinsing Your Mouth Out

If you forgot your portable toothbrush at home, or it’s just not possible to brush your teeth wherever you are, at least rinse you mouth out. Put some water—whether from a sink, bottle, or fountain—in your mouth, and swish it around for a few seconds. If you’re in a bathroom, or somewhere else where spitting won’t be frowned upon, spit the water out. However, if you’re in public, you’ll just have to swallow the water. Yes, it sounds gross. But whatever you’re swallowing was already in your mouth anyway, so it’s not really that bad, right?