How to Get Rid of Bad Breath Naturally

Ahhhh, the dreaded dilemma of bad breath - a result of such questionable decisions as eating garlic, consuming raw onions, downing coffee and munching on Doritos. Or, an indication of health problems in the mouth or elsewhere in the body that manifest themselves in the breath.

Gums and mints only mask this problem, and while they're better than nothing, especially if you're in close quarters at a nightclub and shouting into your companion's face, they don't address the root cause of the issue. Likewise, mouthwashes only temporarily kill bacteria and mask the odor with a fleeting minty freshness that does little to solve the underlying problem.

Bad breath can be an occasional annoyance resulting from dry mouth, dietary habits, illness or lack of proper oral hygiene. Or it can be a long-term sign of deeper systemic issues.

It can begin in the mouth, in the throat and sinuses, or deeper in the stomach and colon. It could be the result of such problems as gingivitis or a symptom of digestive problems or a dirty colon. So it's important to have a full system checkup, preferably by someone who practices natural or holistic medicine, to determine where the cause of chronic bad breath might originate.

On a short-term basis, I've found one effective way to minimize or eliminate bad breath that does not involve mouthwashes...at least not the traditional kind. Especially if you have a coated tongue, this method may be extremely effective, as I had a coated tongue and this was the first-ever method to get rid of it!

This method involves the following:

1) I brush with a toothpaste that contains baking soda and peroxide, which are both excellent cleansing agents that produce a noticeable difference in the overall feeling of my mouth.

2) I follow up by scraping my tongue.

3) I then follow that with a rinse of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Some people recommend using half water and half hydrogen peroxide, but I find that straight hydrogen peroxide (which I keep refrigerated in between uses) is more effective for me. I rinse with this for about 30 to 60 seconds, making sure to gargle and get the back of the tongue/throat area. I usually notice that after doing this, some mucus from my sinus area also loosens up.

Hydrogen peroxide is a debriding agent, which means that, according to dictionary.com, it cleanses and removes "dead, devitalized, or contaminated tissue." This is why it is used to clean cuts, scrapes, wounds, etc. When you rinse your mouth out with hydrogen peroxide, you will definitely feel it doing its bubblicious work.

4) I then scrape my tongue again, and proof of the hydrogen peroxide's effectiveness is evident in the clean look of my tongue post-rinse.

I have found this to be a highly effective short-term strategy to minimize or eliminate bad breath. Done twice a day, it should take care of your worst problems.

Another strategy to try is replacing the hydrogen peroxide rinse with a rinse of salt water, or a rinse containing baking soda and water. You could also do multiple rinses, one after the other, or alternate and do one type of rinse in the morning and one at night, depending on what you find works best for you. While I prefer the hydrogen peroxide rinse because there is no preparation involved, both the salt water rinse and baking soda and water rinse produce surprising cleansing effects in the mouth and tend to clear up the sinuses too.

In the long term, however, an ideal solution to address bad breath problems would include the following:

1) proper oral hygiene that includes brushing and flossing at least twice a day, along with a cleansing rinse
2) drinking plenty of water
3) eating a healthy diet rich in natural, unprocessed foods full of vitamins, minerals and key nutrients, while eliminating processed foods and those containing chemicals, artificial colors and flavors, etc.
4) Identifying and correcting any vitamin or mineral deficiencies in the body.
5) Detoxifying the body. Apple Cider Vinegar is a good system detoxifier and can be consumed daily. You can also try a colon or liver cleanse to eliminate toxins from the system which are likely contributing to any unpleasant odors coming from the body.

If you try this hydrogen peroxide remedy for bad breath, please report back with your results. Good luck!