Halitosis (bad breath): Causes and Natural remedies

Halitosis, or bad breath, is something that a lot of us have experienced before, be it in the morning when we wake up, or after eating certain foods.  We don’t always notice when this happens, though.  Often, we can have bad breath without even realizing it, which can be a fairly uncomfortable or unpleasant situation for others because it isn’t exactly easy to talk about.

To combat and eradicate halitosis, we shouldn’t stop at running to the store to grab some gum or mints, or buying one of those “wonder” cures to fight bad breath.  We should first know all the causes that could lead to this condition, because since we all have had it, we need to get to the root of the problem, in order to truly get rid of it.

Possible halitosis problems:

• Accumulated bacteria in the mouth from overnight.
• Poor digestion (by eating foods that are difficult to digest and absorb)
• Eating foods rich in sulfur, like garlic, onions, etc.
• Sinusitis
• Pharyngitis
• Poor dental hygiene or tongue and gum cleanliness, which can cause gum inflammation (gingivitis)
• Dental abscesses
• Normal (or abnormal) metabolic saliva secretions from bodily functions and processes, not from the mouth.
• Kidney problems
• Diabetes
• Biliary problems or liver disorders: cirrhosis gives the breath a fruity-smelling foul odor.
• Leukemia
• Metabolic problems
• Chronic dry mouth (one of the most common causes is medication use, like antihistamines, anti-hypertensives, and medications used to treat depression related to Parkinson’s).
• Pulmonary tumors
• Oral ulcers or herpes
• Candidiasis
• Foods that are difficult to digest
• Tobacco use

Natural remedies for halitosis

As I’m sure you already noticed, bad breath has several causes, and each one requires specialized treatment.  For detecting halitosis, the best thing to do is to consult your doctor or dentist so they may help you find what is causing it.  Regardless, we will provide for you here a few general remedies that you can use from here on out to help correct several of these conditions, without needing expensive medicines.

• Brush your teeth very well.  Move slowly over every area of the mouth, and use dental floss everyday.  This could seem arduous and even boring, but it will undoubtedly prevent lots of dental illnesses.  Massage your gums daily, moving your fingertip in a circular motion.
• Drink at least 2 liters of fresh water throughout the day.  This will help eliminate toxic substances that accumulate in your body.
• Drink parsley juice at least 5 times a week: you can make this by blending half a prickly pear with one cup of parsley, and honey or flowers.  Add half a liter of water.  Do not strain, chew if necessary.
• Try to read things that focus your mind on positive thoughts that bring you peace and enthusiasm.  Tensions or depressive thoughts, or chronic criticism are harmful for health, and are the emotional causes of bad breath.

Home remedies for fighting bad breath

• Chew meaty fruits or vegetables.
• Chew parsley, well-washed and disinfected.
• Add 2 Tbsp. of chlorophyll to one liter of water and drink this in sips throughout the day.
• Avoid white sugar and its derived products, which not only lack nutritional value, but are especially harmful to the teeth.  It can cause teeth to rot and blacken.
• Drink a mint infusion or digestive teas, like chamomile or orange blossom, after every meal.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 02/14/2019

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