Other Names:
Bad Breath

Symptoms:
The breath has an unpleasant odor.

Cause:
Touch the back of your hand with your tongue, and then smell it. This is a simple test which may tell you something you need to know.

Not caring for your teeth properly, brushing them can be a primary cause. But tooth decay, indigestion, improper diet, gum disease, constipation, inadequate digestion of proteins, infection in the nose or throat, poorly functioning liver, stress, or heavy metal buildup can also be major problems.

Treatment:
• Brush your teeth after each meal. Use dental floss.

• Brush the tongue carefully. It often has food particles and bacteria, and needs cleaning.

• Drink more water. Dehydration often causes bad breath, especially first thing in the morning. Saliva does not flow during sleep, so no mouth cleaning occurs at night.

• Eat parsley. Other chlorophyll-containing foods are also good for your breath.

• Take charcoal by mouth. Let them dissolve slowly in the mouth.

• Go on a five-day raw food diet, during which 50% of what you eat is raw. This will help clean out your system.

• Apples, carrots, celery, etc., are excellent for cleaning out your mouth at the close of a meal. They remove odor-causing bacteria from the mouth.

• Outdoor exercise will bring more oxygen into the lungs and help clean out the system, reducing bad breath.

• In the lives of many, gum disease is a major cause of bad breath. (See "Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease.") Place goldenseal over the infected gums or mouth sores. Do this for 3 days, to help heal the gums.

• Far less likely, mouth breathing may cause bad breath. Yet, for many, the advantages of mouth breathing (obtaining more oxygen than otherwise could be done) outweighs the possible disadvantages.

• Sinus infection produces a discharge with a bad odor. If you have sinus trouble, this may be the cause of your bad breath.

• Do not eat spicy foods.

• Meat eating can produce bad breath, both because of the particles left in the mouth and because of later indigestion.

• Cheese and fish both cause bad breath.

• Yes, there is garlic, but it is such a powerful germ killer that you may need to take it anyway.

• Drinking coffee, beer, wine, or whiskey are excellent ways to have bad breath. Water is the best liquid for your body.

• Use myrrh, rosemary, or peppermint to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth.

• Avoid foods that get stuck between the teeth too easily.

• Avoid foods that are too likely to cause tooth decay, such as meat, candies, and sticky sweets.

• Instances have been reported of food allergies having caused bad breath. Search out the foods you are allergic to, and avoid them. (See Allergies.)

• Avoid constipation.

• In cases of bad breath caused by stomach problems, thyme tea can be helpful.

• Boil your toothbrush each month or buy a new one. Bacteria grow on the toothbrush. Rinse it with hydrogen peroxide occasionally during the month.

• Chew fennel or anise seeds after eating an odorous meal.

• Do not use commercial mouthwashes. They irritate the mouth more than they solve any problems. All they have is alcohol, dye, and flavoring.

Bad breath may be a sign of an underlying health problem.