Natural Remedies to Freshen Your Breathe
Having fresh breath is important for oral hygiene and social interactions.
According to the UK National Health Service (NHS) studies have shown that such oral complaints can negatively affect a person’s confidence and their employment chances, including being promoted at work. The maintenance of oral health is a life skill that will have long term effects, not only on tooth decay but to a life free from disability.
At HealthTalk we are going to highlight are some simple and proven home remedies and basic solutions that can help you to keep your breath fresh and improve your oral health:
Let’s see why this works.
Practice good oral hygiene: Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily to remove food particles and bacteria that can is a major contributor to bad breath.
Tooth brushing stops plaque building up. Try to make sure you clean every surface of all your teeth. Plaque is a film of bacteria that coats your teeth if you don't brush them properly. This contributes to gum disease and tooth decay.
Learn to brush the inside surfaces, outside surfaces and the chewing surfaces of your teeth.
Use mouthwash: Rinse your mouth with an alcohol-free mouthwash to kill bacteria and freshen your breath. If you are feeling adventurous you can also add a few drops of peppermint oil to a glass of water and use it as a mouthwash.
Using a mouthwash that contains fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, but don't use mouthwash (even a fluoride one) straight after brushing your teeth or it'll wash away the concentrated fluoride in the toothpaste left on your teeth.
At the end of the day you can combine any of your favourite herbal essences and herbs and turn this into a natural, healing mouthwash!
Use baking soda: Even with routine brushing, flossing and eating healthy foods — it still isn’t enough for effective oral health care. A popular remedy is to make a solution of baking soda in a glass of water and take at least weekly. This will help to defuse any smells in your mouth.
Chew on herbs: Herbs are for healing which is why many culture groups use use fibrous plant materials, sinews, etc., for additional oral hygiene and dental care.
Eat crunchy fruits and vegetables: Eating crunchy fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, and celery can help to clean your teeth and freshen your breath.
If you can, chew on fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, or cilantro to help nullify odours in your mouth.
Drink plenty of water:
Our body cannot manufacture saliva if it is dehydrated, which is just one more reason to drink water on a regular basis. Drinking water helps to create saliva that not only moistens the mouth, it helps to cleanse your mouth of bacteria thus lessening the chances of contracting gingivitis - an inflammation of the gums which is caused by harmful bacteria that can become embedded under the tartar and plaque that collects on your teeth.
Drinking water will help to flush out bacteria and food particles that can cause bad breath. It can also help to keep your mouth hydrated, which can prevent dry mouth which is a common cause of bad breath and gingivitis.
Avoid excess sugar, drugs, smoking and alcohol: Smoking and drinking alcohol not only dries out your mouth but causes bad breath.
Many drugs can cause a craving for sugar, such as sweets and fizzy drinks, which can cause tooth decay.
Drugs such as methamphetamine and heroin can also cause dry mouth due to the reduction saliva flow in the mouth, this can also contribute to tooth decay and gum disease.
Other drugs, such as ecstasy and cocaine can lead to jaw-clenching and tooth grinding. This can result cracked or broken teeth, as well as headaches and jaw pain.
Being ‘high’ on drugs could make you less likely to remember to brush your teeth on a regular basis. This is an additional way to acquiring gum disease, dental decay and tooth loss.
Smokers (including vapers) are at a higher risk of developing mouth cancer (oral), gum problems, losing teeth, decay on the roots of teeth, and complications after tooth removal and gum and oral surgery.
Drinkers are not given a free pass. White wine, beer and cider can be very acidic and this can cause the erosion of the enamel on your teeth, possibly leading to pain and sensitivity. Spirits such as vodka and whiskey are very high in alcohol and will give you dry mouth. Many mixers and alcopops are high in sugar which can lead to dental decay.
A good home routine will help to reduce the damage by taking drugs and drinking excess alcohol. Avoiding these habits can help to keep your breath smelling fresher and gets the job done.
Finally, wherever possible seek advice and solutions from your dentist and health provider on a regular basis to ensure that you have routine and ongoing dental care.
Why not share some of your insights into creating a healthy oral health routine in the comment section below.