Is bad breath causing a stink in your relationships? Sometimes you can actually taste the staleness in your own breath, but other times, you may not even be aware of the foul odor until someone close to you lets you in on the harsh truth. Don’t worry — we have some home remedies you can try to freshen up your breath.

Practice Better At-Home Oral Hygiene

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s probably the first thing you should try. Most of the time, issues with bad breath are due to poor oral hygiene. Make sure you’re following these general rules for at-home dental care:

• Brush twice a day (or after every meal if you can)
• Floss once a day
• Brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper
• Use toothpaste with fluoride

The real kicker is not forgetting to clean your tongue since bad breathing-causing bacteria can settle there.

Stay Hydrated

Oftentimes, having a dry mouth can mean having bad breath. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, taking extra care to hydrate once you wake up and after you exercise. If your dry mouth is due to some medication you’re taking, you might consider asking your doctor if there are any alternatives available.

Gargle with Salt Water

A salt water rinse can work wonders for eliminating bacteria in your mouth (whether it comes to bad breath, mouth sores, or a sore throat). Add about a ½ teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water, gargle with the mixture, spit, and repeat.

Eat a More Nutritious Diet

You probably know plenty of reasons already why you should eat healthier, but you can add wanting fresh breath to your list now too. Foods like celery and apples aren’t just good for your overall health, they can actually scrap away plaque from your teeth. Other foods like whole grains and lean proteins can increase saliva flow to help wash away bacteria.

Use Spices

Spices like cloves, fennel, and cinnamon have antibacterial properties, which come in handy when fighting bad breath. You can try chewing on some cloves or fennel or sucking on a cinnamon stick.

If at-home remedies don’t seem to be working for your bad breath, we recommend schedule an appointment at our office so we can see if there is a particular dental issue that’s causing it.