Melissa sat on the couch, her grandson on her lap and her one-year-old granddaughter in a playpen next to them.  She was sipping on her favorite cup o’ joe when she noticed her four-year-old grandson sniffing around with his nose scrunched up.  He quickly gave reason for his facial expression.  “Nana, sissy pooped her pants.”  Melissa was certain that wasn’t the case, but checked just to satisfy her grandson and hopefully put an end to the sniffing.  She turned to tell him that sissy had indeed not pooped her pants when he pinched his fingers over his nose. “Yuck Nana!  Do you have poop in your mouth?”  Melissa was mortified but somehow relieved at the same time.  At least they weren’t in public and it had come from her grandson and not someone else.

It happens to us all at some point.  Bad breath. 

Naturally, there are the well-known ways to combat it.  Mints and mouthwash aren’t the only options. Regularly brushing your teeth and tongue, especially after meals, as well as daily flossing, swishing with mouthwash, and having your teeth cleaned regularly are all great ways to go – recommend them even if bad breath isn’t an issue for you.  If it is (or you know someone) here are a few natural ways to help avoid people dropping in the wake of your noxious fumes:

Drink more water. (I’m beginning to believe this is the cure for everything.  Everything!)  Believe it or not, dehydration is one of the most common reasons for bad breath.  Most of us drink way too little water and your body needs it to ward off bacteria in the mouth most responsible for causing bad breath. Tiny microbes in the mouth actually feed on loose food particles, releasing odor-causing by-products that give you stinky mouth.  It just so happens that all-natural saliva is your body’s built-in cure for eradicating these bacteria.  However, if you want your body to create enough bacteria-fighting saliva, you have to be drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Eat more fruits and fiber. Maybe the doctor isn’t the only thing an apple a day can keep away.  Crunchy fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber are also helpful against bad breath.  Eating more carrots, celery, and apples – just some suggestions – can help scrape the plaque buildups responsible for more mild or infrequent forms of bad breath.  These foods also boost the production of saliva. Seeing a pattern here?  Also, citrus fruits like oranges, berries and melons will give you your daily dose of vitamin C which creates a hostile environment for bacteria growth.

Supplement.   Zinc and Omega-3s.  Halitosis is often caused by a zinc deficiency, which helps maintain a clean, bacteria-free mouth.  Some mouthwashes actually contain zinc as an active ingredient for this reason.  However, supplementing with oral zinc and eating more zinc-rich foods – like pumpkin and gourd seeds, and cacao – might be an even better line of attack, since it can help address the problem universally. Omega-3s are known to reduce inflammation and bacteria in the mouth.  So, either take a supplement or add more fish into your diet to reap the rewards.

Chew Gum.  Chewing encourages your mouth to produce saliva, so it makes sense to chew without taking in the calories of constant snacking.  Try chewing sugar free gum or, for more benefit, cinnamon gum.  It contains cinnamic aldehyde – a plant essential oil used for flavoring.  This particular oil doesn’t just cover up bad breath; it actually decreases the bacteria in your saliva by 50%.

As always, if you’ve tried natural ways to correct your problem and it persists beyond all this, you may have some underlying health condition that requires the attention of a doctor. Chronic bad breath has been known to be a symptom of sinus infections, lung disease, diabetes, liver disorders, throat and mouth cancer and more.  Don’t let bad breath literally kill you.  Have it checked out.