Halitosis is a term used for bad breath. My fellow contributor gave some interesting home remedies to counter bad breath. I am going to take it a step further and elaborate on what causes bad breath.

There are several causes of bad breath. The most common being:

• Dry mouth – Not having enough water, taking medication that causes dryness in the mouth can cause bad breath. The reason is simple. Our saliva controls the growth of oral bacteria. A dry mouth helps bacteria to build up and hence causes bad breath
• Certain foods, for example taking raw red onions can cause bad breath
• Smoking
• Consuming certain drinks (even tea and coffee) can lead to bad breath
• Poor oral hygiene, not brushing often or well enough can cause halitosis
• Any gum diseases
• Stress

Home remedies for bad breath:

To counter bad breath, attack the root causes. And so if you look at the list above, here is what one needs to do to remedy bad breath:

• Have plenty of water. And have frequent sips.
• When you consume foods and drinks that cause bad breath, make sure you brush your teeth soon after.
• Avoid smoking Its not good for your health anyway.
• Try and brush your teeth after every meal, if possible. If not, then atleast after breakfast and before retiring to bed.
• Use a dental floss every night to clean your gums.
• Bust stress. 
• This one is more reactive than preventive, but popping peppermint, clove or an elaichi(green cardamom) helps.

Know of any more natural, easy ways to tackle bad breath? Do share!

Tags: ayurvedic remedy, bad breath, home remedies, natural cure