This means instead of having an occasional bout of mouth odor (say, after eating certain foods such as garlic), your breath remains offensive most of the time. Don’t despair. Even the most stubborn case of bad breath can be treated naturally once you get down to its root cause.
What You’re Doing to Treat Your Bad Breath Now May Worsen It
Hard Candy
If you’re self-conscious about the smell of your breath, you may find yourself popping hard candy to combat the odor. While this may temporarily mask the smell by encouraging saliva production and filling your mouth with a sweet taste, it will only make the problem worse in the long run. Excessive sugar intake can lead to the oral health problems that cause bad breath.
Gum
The same goes for gum chewing. The chewing action will help release saliva and temporarily relieve a dry mouth, but the sugar it contains will only increase your likelihood for developing tooth and gum problems.
Mouthwash
I don’t advocate the use of regular mouthwash because the high alcohol content dries out your mouth, and kills both good and bad bacteria, while a synthetic chemical, chlorhexidine, also kills the healthy bacteria you need to keep germs at bay. These products only work as a temporary mask and, since they worsen bad breath over time, make you dependent on them.
Excessive Brushing
Attacking your teeth and gums with vigorous and excessive brushing will do more harm than good. Along with scrubbing away plaque and tarter, you’ll also wear away the delicate lining of your gums, which can result in the development of gingivitis.
Causes of Unpleasant Mouth Odor and How to Eliminate Them Naturally
1. Smoking
If you smoke, you’re familiar with the term “smoker’s breath.” No matter how much you brush, floss or rinse, you still smell like an ashtray. Not only does smoking dry out your mouth (which sets you up for gum disease), it also fills your mouth with harmful synthetic chemicals that linger hours after you’ve put the cigarette out.
The only sure-fire way to eliminate smoker’s breath is to quit smoking. Not only will you be doing your breath a favor, you’ll significantly reduce your chances of dying from lung cancer or heart disease.
2. Excessive Alcohol Consumption
A drink or two shouldn’t cause chronic halitosis. Excessive alcohol consumption can. Drinking too much alcohol dries out your mouth, significantly reduces healthy bacteria in your mouth and gut, and interferes with healthy liver function, all of which lead to bad breath.
Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages to only one or two per day. If you feel your drinking is impacting your life on a physical, emotional or spiritual level, contact a counselor or support group who can help you.
3. Poor Oral Health
The inflammatory gum disease, gingivitis, may cause bleeding and receding gums as well as bad breath.
To combat this condition, floss your teeth gently and use a soft-bristled electric toothbrush to massage your gums and remove excess plaque build-up.
You might also want to give oil pulling a try. Upon rising, before eating or drinking anything, put one teaspoon of organic coconut or sesame oil into your mouth and swish for 20 minutes.
Spit the mixture into a plastic bag, tie it up, and dispose of it in the trash. (Avoid spitting it into the sink or toilet as this could cause clogged pipes).
4. Digestive Problems
Poor digestion is a common problem and a frequent contributor to unpleasant mouth odor. Acid reflux disease, stomach ulcers, and insufficient digestive enzymes can create a breeding ground for candida overgrowth, parasites, and H. Pylori infection.
I recommend taking a high-quality probiotic supplement and digestive enzymes to reduce gas, bloating, indigestion, and bad breath. Oftentimes, this is the hidden solution when nothing else works.
5. Sluggish Liver
You’re bombarded by thousands of synthetic toxins each day. This can cause your liver (your body’s number one detoxifying organ) to become overburdened and sluggish. When this happens, the evidence can be smelled on your breath.
For liver-related breath problems, I recommend a fasting juice cleanse. Giving your digestive system a break by consuming only liquid nutrition for 24-48 hours may be all you need to eliminate bad breath naturally while improving your energy, mood, and sleep.
6. Mouth-Drying Medications
A continued supply of saliva is essential to rinsing food particles from your mouth and reducing plaque build-up. Certain medications like antihistamines, diuretics, and antidepressants can dry out your mouth and give it an unpleasant odor.
Talk with your healthcare provider about some possible alternatives to mouth-drying medications.
Swishing with aloe vera juice several times a day can help relieve dry mouth. You can also mix a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a four-ounce glass of water and swish to stimulate saliva production and sweeten your breath naturally.
7. Upper Respiratory Problems
Allergies and chronic sinus infections lead to excessive mucous build-up, which provides a breeding ground for nasty bacteria.
Since antihistamines dry out the mouth and make the problem worse, I recommend an herbal-based sinus formula to alleviate upper respiratory problems naturally without the side effects.
You can also irrigate your sinuses with a Neti pot, a small pot shaped a bit like a genie lamp. You place saline solution into the pot and, with your head tilted over a sink or basin, place the nozzle into one nostril and let the mixture drain out the other nostril. Repeat on the other side.
8. Poor Diet
Poor diet can contribute to the development of the gastrointestinal and oral health problems that cause bad breath. A diet based primarily on junk food may also contribute to nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin B12 deficiency, for example, can cause bad breath.
The best natural cure in this case is a wholesome, nutrient-rich diet of organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, meat, poultry, wild-caught fish, eggs, and healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado, and olive oil.
9. Candida Infection
Oral thrush is a yeast infection of the mouth and it can lead to chronic halitosis. Candida is a fungus that lives in the digestive and vaginal tract. In small amounts, this yeast is beneficial to your health. When it grows out of control and becomes systemic, it can cause serious health problems.
For chronic candida sufferers, I recommend Our Aloe Formula.
10. Autoimmune Disease
Diabetes and Sjögren’s syndrome are two autoimmune diseases that can cause unpleasant mouth odor. Diabetes can produce a fruity odor to the breath, which may be a sign of impending insulin shock. If the breath odor is accompanied by fatigue, lethargy, mental confusion, breathing difficulty, stomach pain, and vomiting, get medical attention immediately.
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune condition that causes your immune system to attack the moisture-secreting glands of the mouth, eyes, and vaginal tract.
Autoimmune disease can be both complicated and expensive to treat. This is why I have outlined some inexpensive ways to treat autoimmune disease naturally.
Don’t let bad breath continue to interfere with your social and professional life. Treat it naturally, and you’ll not only feel more confident, you’ll experience an improvement in your overall health.
What Kind of Toothpaste Are You Using?
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