Does your breath embarrasses you socially? Bad breath can make life hell by putting off your friends or near and dear ones.

When food particles stick in between our teeth, along our gum lines and on our tongue are broken down by naturally occurring bacteria in our mouth, this process releases a bunch of stinky compounds. That’s why bad breath happens. It is called halitosis. Other triggers can be poor dental care, skipping meals, dryness of mouth, few ailments, few medication, low carb diet, cavity, wearing dental appliance, drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking, consuming tobacco, strep throat, high blood sugar levels, respiratory tract infection, acid reflux from stomach and many more.

Your family and friends may not feel free to tell you that you’re suffering from halitosis. The easiest way to find it out is to lick the inner side of your wrist, wait for five seconds and then take a whiff. If it smells bad then yes, you have a bad breath.

There are few simple home remedies to treat bad breath:

Take proper dental care: Brush your teeth for at least two-three minutes twice a day. Floss after each meal or at least once daily. It may cut down on plaque, bacteria and bad odour-causing food particles. Bacteria and amino acids combine and form halitosis-causing compounds on your tongue and in your mouth. So, clean your tongue regularly with a tongue cleaner and eliminate bad breath to great extent.

Mouth rinse: A mouth rinse helps reduce plaque and gingivitis. Use it after every meal to freshen up your breath. You may use an effective home-made mouth rinse – add one tablespoon of lemon juice and a bit of salt in a cup of water. Rinse your mouth with it. The acidic content in lemon prevents growth of bacteria and its pleasant smell helps mask the bad odour.

Keep your body well hydrated: Drink enough water and curb foul smelling bacteria development in your mouth. If your mouth remains dry and doesn’t have enough moisture to produce saliva, odour-causing bacteria start developing. Workouts can increase dryness in mouth. Dryness also occurs when you’re asleep. So, drink a lot of water the whole day especially before and after any exercise schedule and waking up in the morning.

Right choice of healthy foods: Choose foods that combat odour-causing bacteria. A variety of fibrous fruits and vegetables, diet rich in vitamin A, D, E and B can solve the problem of bad breath by removing excess mucus and toxins naturally. Avoid eating bad breath-causing foods like onion and garlic. Acidic foods like vinegar and high-fructose foods like sugary cereals should also be avoided. You may chew fresh parsley sprig to refresh your mouth.

Use breath-sweetening herbs: Herbs such as fennel contain antibacterial properties and can complement to your dental care. It may not only cover up bad breath but reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth.

Clove tea: Add one teaspoon of clove powder in one cup of water. Let it simmer for five to 10 minutes. Strain and drink twice a day until you get rid of bad breath.

Cinnamon tea: Cinnamon contains an essential oil that reduces the amount of bacteria in your mouth and covers up bad breath. Simmer a cinnamon stick in a cup of water for five to 10 minutes. Drink morning-evening and see the results.

Green tea: It contains polyphenols that may eliminate sulphur compounds and reduce oral bacteria. Drink it after half an hour of every meal.

Fenugreek tea: Simmer a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a cup of water for five to 10 minutes. Strain and drink twice a day and keep bad breath at bay. It is very effective when bad breath is caused by catarrhal infections.

Baking soda: Brush your teeth occasionally with baking soda. It helps neutralise excess acids found in the oral cavity.

Avoid drinking alcohol and consuming tobacco in any form: They both make the mouth very dry, one of the most common cause of bad breath.

If you use dentures, clean it properly at least once a day.

Clean your mouth after eating protein-rich foods like meat or fish and any dairy product.

Prevent mouth dryness with chewing gum and mints that are sugar-free. It may stimulate your salivary flow and have anti-cavity properties.

Don’t let bad breath take toll on your big smile, strong confidence and self-esteem. Take good care of your teeth and visit your dentist at least twice a year to avoid the symptoms of offensive breath.