Health & Wellness - India Herbs Blog

Let's face it. Bad breath is embarrassing.

1. Chew on spices

There are herbs and spices in your kitchen that can be used as natural breath enhancers. Carry a tiny plastic bag of cloves, fennel, or anise seeds to chew after odoriferous meals.

2. Brush your tongue

Most people overlook their tongue. Your tongue is covered with little hair-like projections, which under a microscope look like a forest of mushrooms. Under the caps of the 'mushrooms,' there's room to harbor plaque and some of the things we eat. That causes bad breath.

While brushing, gently sweep the top of your tongue, too, so that you don't leave food and bacteria behind to breed bad breath.

3. Ban certain beverages.

Coffee, beer, wine and whiskey are at the top of the list of liquid offenders. Each leaves a residue that can attach to the plaque in your mouth and infiltrate your digestive system. Each breath you take spews traces back into the air.

4. Have your toothbrush with you

Some odors can be eliminated—permanently or temporarily—if you brush immediately after a meal. The main culprit in bad breath is a soft, sticky film of living and dead bacteria that clings to your teeth and gums. That film is called plaque. At any time, there are 50 trillion of these microscopic organisms loitering in your mouth. They sit in every dark corner, eating each morsel of food that passes your lips, collecting little smells, and producing little odors of their own. As you exhale, the bacteria exhale. So brush away the plaque after each meal and get rid of some of the breath problem.

5. Eat your parsley

Parsley adds more than green to your lunch plate; it's also a breath-saver, because it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. So pick up that sprig garnishing your plate and chew it thoroughly. Or toss a few handfuls (even add some watercress to the mix) in a juicer. Sip the juice anytime you need to refresh your breath.

6. Chew a mint or gum

Like mouthwash, a breath mint or minty gum is just a cover-up, good for a short interview, a short ride in a compact car or a very short date.

7. Easy on the cheese

Camembert, Roquefort, and blue cheese are called strong for good reason—they get a hold on your breath and don't let go. Other dairy products may have the same effect.


India Herbs - Ancient Remedies for Modern Times