Do you hesitate to talk to someone because of your bad breath? Are you searching for some home remedies to cure your bad breath? Then we welcome you to a blog, where you can get to know the causes and a few home remedies that will help you deal with your bad breath. Bad breath, also called halitosis, is mostly a sign of bad dental hygiene, dry mouth, or other mouth conditions. It can also be a sign of other conditions, such as diabetes and liver and kidney diseases.1
Following are some of the reasons for bad breath:
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It is important to educate the patient about the need for good dental hygiene. While most people would associate bad dental hygiene and resulting halitosis with toothaches and unsightly stains, a major deterrent would be to emphasize the links between bad oral hygiene and serious medical issues like cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction, stroke or endocarditis, which are precipitated by periodontitis, or periodontitis.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka – MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)
Bad breath itself is a symptom of various conditions mentioned above. It may be worse in the morning or after drinking coffee, smoking, or eating food items like garlic.2
However, you may also notice some other symptoms like:
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Some home remedies that might help you get rid of bad breath are:
Yoghurt decreases the bacteria that produce bad/foul breath. In a human study, the results indicated that yoghurt might reduce harmful bacteria and oral malodour (unpleasant smell).4 Therefore, you may eat yoghurt to fight bad breath.
Chewing some lavang reduces bad breath. It inhibits the growth of microorganisms responsible for producing bad breath and helps fight bad breath.5 You can chew some lavang to get rid of bad breath.6
Fennel seeds are chewed by the people of India to deal with bad breath. It is considered beneficial for teeth and is known to clean teeth.7 You can chew some fennel seeds. Also, you can gargle with warm fennel water. For this, you can boil some fennel seeds in water.6
Chewing paan has several medicinal benefits. It inhibits bad breath, sweetens the breath, toughens the gums, and protects the teeth.8 You can chew some paan/betel leaves after a meal to reduce the bad breath. It also cleans the oral cavity.6
Elaichi is known as one of the best remedies for managing bad breath. Simply chewing some elaichi seeds helps in removing bad mouth odour.9 You can also put some elaichi powder in hot water and use it to gargle. This might benefit you to get rid of bad breath.6
Star anise is used as a natural breath freshener and helps in refreshing the breath.10 You can chew the seeds of chakra phool after a meal to refresh your breath.6
In Ayurveda, it is mentioned that tulsi has several medicinal uses. Chewing some tulsi leaves may help cure infection and ulcers in the mouth. The sun-dried tulsi leaves powder may be used for brushing teeth. It helps remove the foul breath and manage the disorders of gums.11 You can chew a few tulsi leaves to get rid of bad breath.6
You can also follow these tips to control bad breath:
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Bad breath that just wouldn’t go away in spite of appropriate oral hygiene may be a warning sign of advanced gum disease Or dental plaques apart from multiple other medical conditions which should ideally be examined by a dentist.
Dr Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
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If you have persistent bad breath, even after following a good dental hygiene routine and preventing your mouth from dryness, you must consult a doctor.1
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Due to bad breath, you may feel uncomfortable talking to someone and may lose self-esteem and confidence. However, you can try some of the home remedies such as lavang, yoghurt, paan, saunf, elaichi, tulsi, and chakra phool to deal with your bad breath. You must also follow good oral hygiene practices. However, if you still feel your breath is persistently smelling bad and not improving, you must consult a doctor.
Also Read: 10 Best Home Remedies For Toothache
Yes, you can use saunf to reduce the foul smell from your mouth. Fennel seeds are known to be beneficial for teeth and help clean teeth. They are commonly used in India for dealing with bad breath.7 You can chew some fennel seeds or gargle with warm fennel water.6
Yes, paan is good for breath odours. Paan inhibits bad breath, sweetens the breath, toughens the gums, and protects the teeth.8 You can chew some paan after a meal to reduce the bad breath. Also, paan cleans the oral cavity.6 Therefore, eating paan might benefit you.
Yes, there are several home remedies such as saunf, elaichi, paan, tulsi, yoghurt, lavang, and star anise that might help you get rid of bad breath.4-11
Elaichi might help in dealing with bad breath. Simply chewing some elaichi seeds helps in removing bad breath.9 You can also put some elaichi powder in hot water and use it to gargle. This might help you get rid of bad breath.6
Yes, brushing twice a day and flossing daily might be helpful in preventing bad breath. However, if your bad breath situation is continuously worsening, then in such a case, you must consult your doctor.1
Also Read: Best Home Remedies for Wisdom Tooth Pain
1. Bad Breath (Halitosis) [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. 2018. p. 1–7. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/17771-bad-breath-halitosis
2. Halitosis (Bad Breath) [Internet]. John Hopkins. 2022. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/halitosis-bad-breath
3. Halitosis or bad breath. [Internet]. BetterHealth Channel. 2012. Available from: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/halitosis-or-bad-breath
4. Put culture in your life and reduce bad breath : Eat yogurt ! [Internet]. INTERNATIONAL & AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS FOR DENTAL RESEARCH. 2005. Available from: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/800154
5. Verma DSK, Garg DAK, Singh DM, Nikita DP, Meena DM, Singh DC. Evaluation of analgesic activity of syzygium aromaticum W.S.R to painful tooth. World J Pharm Res [Internet]. 2018;7(5):827–34. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ayush-Garg-16/publication/357766992_EVALUATION_OF_ANALGESIC_ACTIVITY_OF_SYZYGIUM_AROMATICUM_WSR_TO_PAINFUL_TOOTH_Corresponding_Author/links/61de69084e4aff4a643601d7/EVALUATION-OF-ANALGESIC-ACTIVITY-OF-SYZYGIUM-AROMATIC
6. ESIC Ayush Division. Ayurveda offering Herbal healing [Internet]. Available from: https://www.esic.nic.in/attachments/publicationfile/7d11b02e5abb4717d53b4ce05efabd21.pdf
7. Sterer N, Rosenberg M. Breath Odors [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2020. Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-44731-1
8. Fazal F, Mane PP, Rai MP, Thilakchand KR, Bhat HP, Kamble PS, et al. The phytochemistry, traditional uses and pharmacology of Piper Betel. linn (Betel Leaf): A pan-asiatic medicinal plant. Chin J Integr Med [Internet]. 2014 Aug 26; Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11655-013-1334-1
9. Jesylne P, Soundarajan S, Murthykumar K, Meenakshi M. The Role of Cardamom Oil in Oral Health: A Short Review. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2016;9(3):272. Available from: http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:rjpt&volume=9&issue=3&article=015
10. Shahrajabian MH, Sun W, Cheng Q. Chinese star anise and anise, magic herbs in traditional Chinese medicine and modern pharmaceutical science. Asian J Med Biol Res [Internet]. 2019 Oct 15;5(3):162–79. Available from: https://www.banglajol.info/index.php/AJMBR/article/view/43584
11. Sharma K, Acharya S, Verma E, Singhal D, Singla N. Efficacy of chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide and tulsi extract mouthwash in reducing halitosis using spectrophotometric analysis: A randomized controlled trial. J Clin Exp Dent [Internet]. 2019;11(5):e457–63. Available from: http://www.medicinaoral.com/medoralfree01/aop/55523.pdf
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Frequent causes of headache, often overlooked and worsened by self medications – sinusitis is something we all must be aware of. The differences between a common cold and sinusitis are often blurry because both of these illnesses often have similar signs and symptoms initially. Both of these seasonal ailments can be equally difficult to deal with. But since they require a different course of action, you need to know how to tell sinusitis apart from the common cold. The common cold has no specific cure, needs symptomatic management and usually has to run its course for 7 to 10 days. But sinusitis, if left untreated can progress and create further health complications.
Sinusitis occurs when there is an inflammation of the tissue in your sinuses. Paranasal Sinuses are hollow air-filled spaces in the skull around your forehead, nose and eyes. These spaces have membranes that produce mucus. Usually, there are hair-like structures known as cilia in these membranes that push the mucus towards your nose for outflow. But in the case of sinusitis, this drainage of mucus is prohibited due to the swelling of the sinus membranes, leading to obstruction in the drainage of mucus. This may lead to infection of sinuses and symptoms like headaches, stuffy nose, cough and congestion.
Sinusitis is caused by different types of viral or bacterial infections. In fact, the common cold and allergic rhinitis can also be one of the major causes that lead to inflammation of the sinuses.
Besides, nasal polyps, which are small growths in the lining of the nose, can also cause sinusitis. But there can be other more serious underlying causes like a deviated septum (a disfigured nasal cavity), which may lead to chronic sinusitis as well.
Here is a list of the different types of sinusitis so that you can get to listen from your doctor:
For sinusitis, a decongestant coupled with regular saline nasal washes and steam inhalation may be a quick remedy. However, it is recommended not to use over-the-counter (OTC) decongestant sprays for more than 2 days in a row.
It is important to consult a doctor at the earliest for the treatment of sinusitis to avoid worsening of symptoms. In case of infection, you may be prescribed some antibiotics for the treatment along with other medicines based on your complaints.
Since prevention is always better than cure, you would be better off trying to prevent the onset of acute or chronic sinusitis in the first place. You can do this by:
Sinusitis is a common seasonal (or even chronic) ailment that many people suffer from and it is also one of the most overlooked illnesses. The most common symptoms of sinusitis that people have reported are nasal blockage and headaches. Therefore, this ailment is usually not reported unless it becomes a serious impediment to the quality of life. But when left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications. To prevent such complications, it is best to consult a doctor when you find that you might have the symptoms of sinusitis.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
