Something smells fishy...
Bad breath or halitosis is a common medical predicament that has plagued people from ancient time.
Ancient Egyptians were indeed in such predicament before (due to the widespread nature of dental diseases). In light of this, pellets that are made of a concoction of frankincense (sap derived from tree of the genus Boswellia), myrrh (sap derived from tree of the genus Commiphora), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and honey were developed by them as breath-freshener.
For most people, bad breath is a passing inconvenience rather than a disease.
For some, the odor gets so offensive to the extent that they avoid talking to people in close proximity. It gets more embarrassing when friends or your date found out about your deep and ‘smelliest’ secret. It is like getting a slap on the face when they point out (hopefully not in full public view) that your breath smells like a rotten egg. And no, popping in a mint-flavored gum or using a peppermint mouth spray does not solve the problem. They do give a temporary fix in masking the smell though.
The famous quote ‘You are what you eat’ cannot be more right. For spice-, garlic-, onion- and cheese-lovers, the chance of being afflicted with repulsive bad breath is high. Heavy smokers will also turn people off with their revolting breath.
Additionally, your foul-smelling misery could also be due to certain conditions such as tooth cavity, gum disease, dry mouth (xerostomia) or a respiratory illness (sinusitis or tonsillitis). The list goes on.
But wait, you may have to cross out all the possible culprits mentioned above.
Why is it so? Well, you may have missed one factor that people always take for granted. It is negligence of oral hygiene.
Let us face the reality. We mirror-worshipping mortals tend to pay more attention to vanity. We tend to fuss on how (pretty or handsome) we look. Sadly, the last thing that comes to our mind is probably oral hygiene. A neglected oral hygiene shows up in your breath and may well be the root cause to the dreadful stink.
So, what can you do?
Brush your tongue after your teeth-brushing moments – it helps to get rid of the tongue-residing bacteria that can cause bad breath. More importantly, floss your teeth – you do not want to leave food residues stuck between your teeth. By not doing so, you will create a wonderful ‘paradise’ for the bacteria to ‘party on’ (bacteria will feed on the residue and release foul-smelling by-products).
On top of that, you can exhale more confidently by using some of the herbs below.
The practice of oral hygiene via the use of natural herbs dates back to the time of ancient Greece and Rome. The Greeks chose (or rather chewed on) anise (Pimpinella anisum) seeds. On the other hand, the Romans kept their breath fresh by chewing the leaves of parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Apart from its reputation as an aroma-enhancer in food, parsley is a great neutralizer to reduce the smelly breath.
Munch on cardamom (Electteria cardamomum) seeds. This will leave a delicate and enticing aroma which lingers in your breathe. If the idea of chewing on herbs does not appeal to you very much, try brewing tea using fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds.
One of the most valued herbs in Ayurveda is neem (Azadirachta Indica). To put a stop to your episodic or even persistent bad breath, use neem-based oral products to rid off mouth-thriving bacteria, prevent tartar or plaque build-up and restores freshness in your breath. Neem leaf extracts are usually included
in those products but some Indians still chew neem twigs as part of maintaining a fresh breath.
Well, all the best in keeping your breathe minty fresh, the herbal way.
Until then,
Happy Reading!
Evelyn
