It’s common to have bad breath after eating onions or too much garlic, however persistent bad breath can be signaling that there’s a deeper issue taking place. If you have chronic odor in your mouth, it could be caused by gum disease or another dental problem. Here’s what you need to know — and how to try treating it at home. 

Bad Breath Causes

Formally known as halitosis, bad breath can happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes, it’s caused because of something we’ve eaten or after we’ve been sleeping, however, sometimes there’s a deeper problem. Here are some common causes of foul breath according to Medical News Today:

• Tobacco: using tobacco products can create an unwanted odor in the mouth. Additionally, they also increase your chances of gum disease, which also contributes to bad breath. 
• Food: like we mentioned, sometimes the culprit of bad breath is a simple as garlic and onions. However, sometimes foods that have been lodged between the teeth can cause odor. Foods can cause odors in the mouth even after they are digested too. 
• Dry mouth: your saliva naturally cleans your mouth, however if you suffer from dry mouth, you’re more prone to suffering from foul smelling odors. 
• Dental hygiene: it’s important to brush and floss daily to fight bad breath. Removing the small particles of food that can build up after a meal will help save you from bad odors by removing plaque. 
• Your diet: the way you eat also affects your breath. If you’re fasting for trying a keto diet, you could have breath that doesn’t smell great.
• Medication: certain medicines can reduce saliva which increases odors. Other drugs like nitrates, chemotherapy, and some tranquilizers can cause it too.
• Mouth, nose, and throat conditions: some conditions that affect your mouth, nose, throat, or sinuses are often contributing factors to frequent odor.
• Diseases: Cancers, liver failure, and other metabolic diseases can cause bad breath because of the chemicals they produce throughout the body. This problem is also common in those who suffer from gastrointestinal problems. 

How to Treat Bad Breath at Home 

Thankfully, there are at home remedies you can try to get rid of your foul smelling breath. Healthline suggests trying these at-home tips to get rid of your odor: 

• Focus on your dental hygiene. Poor dental hygiene is the easiest way to suffer from odors. Make sure you brush twice a day, floss daily, and keep up good hygiene habits to prevent it. 
• Try parsley. Parsley is a popular remedy for foul smelling breath because of its fresh scent and high chlorophyll content, which has a deodorizing effect. 
• Drink pineapple juice. This is believed to be the most effective treatment for bad breath for many people! While it hasn’t been proven by science, it couldn’t hurt to give it a try. 
• Increase your water intake. If you suffer from dry mouth, water will help keep you hydrated which will help you increase your saliva production. 
• Eat yogurt. The healthy bacteria found in yogurt can help fight bad breath that is caused by something happening elsewhere in your body, like your gut. 
• Drink milk. Milk is a well-known odor remedy – especially when you drink it after eating garlic. 
• Eat oranges. These citrus fruits help promote dental hygiene due to their high vitamin c content, which can help increase saliva production.
• Supplement zinc. Zinc salts, often found in mouthwashes and gum, can help fight odor. 
• Drink green tea. This home remedy can disinfect and deodorize your mouth. 
• Eat an apple. Apples can fight hard against the odor causing properties of garlic breath. 
• Using a baking soda mouthwash. Sodium bicarbonate can effectively kill bacteria in the mouth, which gets rid of odor. 

These home remedies often help a lot of patients who suffer from foul breath, however they might not work for everyone. Be sure to talk to your doctor to find out what technique is best for you

Make an Appointment with Dr. Ania

Bad breath can be embarrassing and affect your daily life, but it doesn’t have to! If you are suffering from bad breath and these home remedies aren’t for you, it’s time to call Dr. Ania. There could be a deeper problem that is persistently causing the odor. By seeing your dentist regularly, you can get to the bottom of your problem much quicker than trying to figure it out on your own. If you need an appointment, fill out this form or call Dr. Ania’s office at 303-872-9940. Don’t suffer from chronic bad breath any longer.