How to get rid of Mouth Odour (Mouth Odour Home Remedies)

Mouth odour or Halitosis is the offensive smell that oozes out from the mouth. This smell can be temporary(for a short while) or permanent depending on the cause. 

90% of people who have mouth odour do not know that they have it. This is because most people find it embarrassing to tell someone that he or she has a bad breath.

You will agree with me that nobody loves to hurt or embarrass people. But its advisable to tell people the truth especially friends or relatives. After all, it's often said that "real friends stab you in the front".

causes of mouth odour

Some of the causes of mouth odour include;

• Bacteria: Bacteria feed on food particles left in the mouth after meals. They break down these particles and produce smelly sulfur compounds that give you a bad breath. 

A typical example is when you go to bed with out brushing. Your mouth smells in the morning as a result of the bacterial build up.

• Dry mouth: The mouth is dry when there is no sufficient saliva in your mouth. Dry mouth can be caused by breathing through the mouth, medications, empty stomach, alcohol, speaking for a long time or an underlying health problem. 

Saliva helps to neutralize the acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. When the mouth is dry, the mouth smells.

• Diet: When you are on a low carbohydrate diet, your body breaks down the fat in the body for energy. This process produces a compound called ketone. 

 Ketones have a foul smell. This smell leaves the body through the breath.

Foods like garlic and onions can also cause mouth odour because they contain smelly sulfur compounds.

• Poor oral hygiene: When your teeth and your tongue are not properly taken care of, mouth odour is inevitable. 

Bacteria usually build up on the teeth because the teeth cannot shed their surfaces like the skin. This bacterial build up develops into plaque and tartar on the teeth and gum.

This leads to tooth decay and gum diseases which can cause mouth odour. Mouth odour can also occur when your dentures are not properly taken care of.

• Diseases: Mouth odour can be a symptom of certain health issues. 

According to studies, 10% of mouth odour cases are caused by certain diseases. Some of these diseases include; kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, lung disease, dental caries, gum diseases.

• Smoking: Cigarette and tobacco products leave a stench in the mouth. Smoking also makes the mouth dry which leads to mouth odour.

How to detect mouth detect on your own

You can detect mouth odour with out assistance from anyone using these methods;

• Touch your saliva under your wrist or on a piece of fabric and sniff after a few minutes. If you notice a pungent smell, it means you have a bad breath.

• You can floss your teeth and smell the floss.

• If your mouth tastes bad, it's likely that your breath smells bad.

Mouth Odour Home Remedies

Mouth odour can affect your relationship with your friends and colleagues. No one would love to stay around you for long if your breath smells.

The following remedies can be effective in treating mouth odour.

• Good oral hygiene: Brushing and flossing twice a day(in the morning and in the evening after dinner) or after each meal can be effective. 

When brushing the teeth, your tongue shouldn't be left out. You can use tongue-scraper to clean the tongue.

Brushing with baking soda once in a while can help neutralize the acidic environment of bacteria that cause mouth odour.
Mouth wash can be useful but it shouldn't substitute brushing.

Also avoid mouth wash containing alcohol because alcohol makes the mouth dry which is one of the causes of mouth odour.

• Quit smoking

• Keep the mouth wet: Chewing sugar free gums keeps the mouth wet. 

The saliva in the mouth helps to reduce bacterial build up. The chewing gum itself gives your mouth a fresh minty smell.

Drinking lots of water can keep your mouth wet. It increases saliva flow which cleanses the mouth.

Rinse the mouth with water after each meal in order to remove food particles which can decay and cause mouth odour.

• Green Tea: 
  

Green tea contains polyphenol which reduces bacteria in the mouth and removes sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.

 A study which compared the level of smelly compounds in people's mouth after they were given green tea and other substances(like chewing gum) showed that green tea performed higher than most of the products including mints and chewing gum.

• Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins which help the body to eliminate toxins and bacteria. 

Crunchy fiber rich fruits and vegetables like apple and carrot help to remove bacteria from the mouth and also step up saliva flow.

• Fennel seeds: 
  

Chewing fennel seeds is an effective way of treating mouth odour. Fennel seeds provide fresh aromatic scent and also helps to fight oral bacteria.

Consult your doctor first before chewing fennel seeds. Fennel seeds may not be safe for everyone.

They can cause skin reaction. And they often interact with certain medications.

• Cardamom: 
  

Cardamom seeds gives the mouth a freshening breath. Chew cardamon seeds to keep your breath fresh.

If the mouth odour persists after trying these home remedies for a while, please visit your medical professional.

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