Herbal Remedies For Bad Breath

In recent times there seems to have been a growing interest in herbal remedies for bad breath.

This may be due in part to the fact that many bad breath sufferers have tried the more traditional so-called bad breath cures but found them to be ineffective. Or perhaps it might also be down to the fact that more and more people are now choosing not to rely on harsh chemicals or medication, favoring a more natural cure for bad breath instead.

We’ll also consider whether these herbal remedies are actually effective in getting rid of bad breath, as well as other types of home remedies which claim to be able to cure smelly breath - permanently.

It may surprise you to learn that herbal remedies for bad breath have actually been around for many years.

In days gone by it was thought that the pungent flavour and aroma of certain types of herbs could help to mask the smell of bad odors in the mouth. And some of the very first rinses used to sweeten the breath were also created using herbal compounds.

Indeed, even one of the most popular mouthwashes on the market today – Listerine – is composed of several ingredients derived from herbs, namely eucalyptol (which is derived from the eucalyptus tree), menthol (derived from mint plants), methyl salicylate (from wintergreen), and thymol (derived from thyme).

From our research into this topic we’ve come across a wide variety of different herbs that some people have suggested may be used in different ways to fight bad breath.

These herbs are listed in alphabetical order below with suggested uses.

Alfalfa – take in tablet form

Anise – chew a mixture of anise, cardamom, dill and fennel seeds

Basil – chew a mixture of basil, parsley and mint leaves along with some rosemary and thyme

Cardamom – suck on some cardamom seeds

Cinnamon – suck on a small piece of cinnamon bark

Cloves – brush your teeth with some powdered cloves. Alternatively you could make a mouthwash by steeping 3 whole cloves in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour through a strainer and then use to gargle with twice daily

Echinacea – make a mouthwash with 2 teaspoons of root to 1 cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes, then allow to cool before using to gargle with

Fennel – chew a handful of seeds or drink some fennel tea

Fenugreek – drink some fenugreek tea

Lemon – gargle some freshly squeezed lemon in half a glass of water

Peppermint – drink some peppermint tea or chew some fresh mint leaves

Sage – chew some sage leaves

Tea Tree Oil – brush your teeth with toothpaste which contains tea tree oil or try putting a few drops of oil directly onto your toothbrush

Although all the items listed above are now readily available in shops and supermarkets, nevertheless you should never use any concoctions without having first checked how safe they are with a professional expert.

The reason for this is that some plants may be toxic and harmful to your health if used in certain ways, particularly if placed directly in your mouth.

Therefore, you should always consult a herbal expert or your doctor before combining different plants and herbs.

While herbs are relatively inexpensive to buy compared to some other bad breath treatments and tend to last longer as they’ve not been diluted with other ingredients, the jury’s still out on exactly how effective they are at banishing bad breath for good.

There’s no doubt that they can work wonders when you need a ‘quick fix’ – for example if you’ve just eaten some spicy or strong smelling food.

But it seems that while they’re useful in situations like this where you want to mask bad odors, they’re perhaps not so good at tackling the root cause of over 90% of all bad breath cases – i.e. oral bacteria.

That said, there’s nothing to stop you from experimenting to see if they have any effect on your own condition. Some people swear by them and reckon they've done the trick in curing their bad breath.

Others recommend alternative types of home remedies, like one particular method which promises to cure bad breath forever in just a matter of days using a formula made from 2 simple kitchen ingredients.

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