Saturday, October 11, 2014

Natural Remedies to Freshen Breath (Halitosis)

Freshen Up Your Breath with Simple Natural Remedies   

Bad breath often known as Halitosis can put people off causing social embarrassment. To add on to their woes, most advertisements promoting toothpastes, mouthwash and breath fresheners, project these sufferers in an unpleasant light. Why does this arise making millions of people across the globe going red in the face? Let us find out …

Causes for Bad Breath
The medical term for bad breath is known as Halitosis.  Although there are many causes, some types of bad breath are considered quite normal, while a few others denote an underlying medical condition.
Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene
Dental Hygiene (Image source:
Persistent bad breath may be due to poor dental hygiene.  The nearly invisible film of colourless bacteria that is constantly forming in your mouth, known as plaque build-up is often responsible.  With improper brushing, plaque can irritate your gums (gingivitis) and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums causing periodontitis.  Regular flossing and brushing of teeth can prevent food particles from accumulating in your mouth, thus protecting against bad breath.  The uneven surface of the tongue also can trap germs that produce odours.  Moreover, unclean dentures or those that do not fit properly can embrace odour-causing bacteria and food particles.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth known as xerostomia is onе оf thе mаin саuѕеѕ of bad breath.  Saliva is responsible for cleansing the mouth and eliminating particles that may cause odour.  Nevertheless, with a drop in saliva production, a condition occurs naturally during sleep called dry mouth.  This leads to oxygen inactivity making the mouth and tongue a haven for bacteria.
SmokingSmoking and oral tobacco may contribute to bad breath due to accumulation of nicotine, tar and other substances in the mouth that increases the risk of developing gum disease. (Read more bad effects of smoking)
Certain medications ѕuсh аѕ antihistamines, asthma / bronchitis inhalers may cause dry mouth resulting in bad breath.
Mouth Infections
Oral surgery such as tooth removal may cause surgical wounds leading to foul odour in the mouth.  Tooth decay, gum disease, or mouth sores are some of the other factors.
Odorous Foods
Odorous foods
The breakdown of certain foods with strong odours such as onions, and garlic, are carried through the bloodstream and exhaled by the lungs causing foul odour.
Skipping Meals
Fasting and not eating breakfast causes bad breath.
Other conditions
Chronic inflammation in the nose, throat or sinuses contribute to postnasal drip, produced bу thе sinuses due to excessive mucus, as a common allergic reaction. Nevertheless, mucus iѕ thе perfect breeding ground fоr bacterial growth, which feeds off thiѕ condition resulting in bad breath and a bad taste in уоur mouth.
Tiny stones covered with bacteria formed in the tonsils produce odorous chemicals producing bad breath
Diseases, such as some cancers, tuberculosis, or syphillis and conditions such as metabolic disorders, can cause a distinctive breath odour because of the chemicals they produce
Other diseases that can cause halitosis are respiratory tract infections, diabetes, liver disease, gastrointestinal and renal dysfunction
Prevention and Cure
However, one can defeat the smelly bacteria in your mouth by following a few simple and amazing home remedies that can be implemented in the comfort of your home straight from the cupboards…here are some of the best and effective time tested remedies for you.
Natural Home Remedies
Brush Your Tongue
Tongue ScraperAll of us ensure regular brushing of teeth while completely ignoring the tongue.  Tiny hair like projections covering the tongue, give the impression of a mushroom forest, under a microscope. The caps under the mushrooms are safe places for forming plaque as the food we eat are accumulated there causing a foul odour.  Hence, gently sweeping the top of your tongue, while brushing, helps food and bacteria from accumulating beneath the caps.

Baking Soda
Baking soda makes an excellent remedy for bad breath as it cleans the teeth by changing the pH balance in your mouth.  This discourages growth of bacteria that cause bad breath.  For fresh breath, sprinkle some baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into the baking soda, and brush.
Another option is to use a toothpaste containing baking soda.
Gargling your mouth with baking soda dissolved in warm water, apart from cleaning your teeth will also help keep your tongue clean sans bacteria.
Another great way to fight the germs causing bad breath is by way of gargling your mouth with 1 tablespoon of baking soda mixed with a cup of hydrogen peroxide in a ratio of 2%-3%.
Make a paste using three parts baking soda to one part salt, and just a few drops of warm water blend and apply to tongue with tongue brush and brush to scrape away debris; also apply paste to toothbrush and brush gums and teeth; then add warm water to the remaining paste and swirl around mouth rinsing.  However, make sure to floss teeth earlier.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Rinsing your mouth with hydrogen peroxide before brushing is a good cure for bad breath.
Tea-Tree Oil
Using toothpaste containing tea-tree oil, a natural disinfectant or adding the oil to the toothpaste can be an effective cure
You can also prepare a mouthwash with tea tree oil by adding 3 drops to a cup of warm water.  Gargle this solution for two to three times daily, if possible after each meal.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Rinsing your mouth with a glass of water mixed with half tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar works magic and eliminates bad breath.
Eating yogurt rich in acidophilus for 6 weeks will help balance theе good аnd bad bacteria in thе intestines thuѕ eradicating halitosis completely.  Including yoghurt in your daily diet is very essential as it not only helps the intestines but also promotes overall health.
Vitamins/ Zinc
Taking vitamin E, vitamin C and zinc hеlр kеер oral germs at bay.
Olive oil
Consumption of unheated extra virgin olive oil helps against bad breath
Eating lеѕѕ meat аnd lots оf fresh fruits аnd vegetables laden with fibre, hеlр fight halitosis effectively. If уоu wаnt tо cure уоur disgusting breath condition, snack оn fresh raw vegetables аnd fruits ѕuсh аѕ celery, carrot, apple аnd pear.
Fruit and vegetable juices too are helpful in treating Halitosis or bad breath and hence, should be consumed generously.  Juices extracted from green vegetables are particularly valuable.
Citrus Fruits
Dry mouth often causes bad breath.  Therefore eating citrus fruits abundant in Citric acid, stimulates the saliva, restraining mouth bacteria, that is responsible for causing bad breath.
Rinse with a glass of water and the juice of half a lemon after each meal in order to prevent recurrence of bad breath.
Yоu саn mix оnе teaspoon оf lemon аnd ginger juice intо a glass оf water аnd simply gargle.
Drinking lemon will refresh your breath.
Pomegranate саn treat bad breath.  For this dry pomegranate peel in the sun and mixed with boiling water may be used as a rinse when cold.
To use pomegranate as a drink, dry pomegranate peel in the shade (not sun).  Tаkе thе dried peel mix it in a food processor to powder.  Then, add аbоut thrее grams intо a glass оf hot оr cold water along with Lemon аnd ginger for consumption. (Also read pomegranate health benefits)
Avocados work by removing intestinal decomposition, which is a known factor for bad breath.  Therefore, they make excellent mouth freshener.
Unripe guava, abundant in tannic, malic, oxalic, and phosphoric acids as well as calcium, oxalate, and manganese is useful.  Chewing the unripe fruit, makes a great tonic for the teeth and gums as it aids bleeding gums and impedes bad breath.  Chewing tender leaves of guava tree also end bleeding gums and bad odour emanating from your breath.
Herbs can be used as breath freshener. Chewing on a small stem of fresh spearmint, rosemary and tarragon for up to a minute can help alleviate bad breath.
Loaded with Chlorophylls, containing mild antiseptic properties, Parsley helps counteract bad breath.  Chewing or swallowing few sprigs of parsley, apart from improving digestion will help reduce intestinal gas.  Making a decoction of coarsely chopped parsley with two cups of boiling water, along with two or three whole cloves or a quarter teaspoon of ground cloves, strained and consumed when cool makes an amazing mouthwash.
mint leaves
Mint leaves (Image credit: beresah /
Chewing on mint leaves or gum can stop bad breath avoiding any kind of embarrassment.  Mixing a few sprigs of mint added to half a litre of boiling water and left for an hour to cool if gargled works well.
Basil Leaves
Every morning chew five leaves of Basil and drink water for a cure.
Gargle your mouth with a spoonful of ginger juice mixed in a glass of hot water.
A mixture made with Lemon ginger аnd warm water for rinsing your mouth twice a day also helps.
Sunflower Seeds
Chew some sunflower seeds and drink a glass of water after meals to get rid of Halitosis.
Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek seedsA tea prepared from Fenugreek seeds helps combat bad odour. This is prepared by adding one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to half a litre of coldwater and cooking for fifteen minutes on low heat. This tea strained and consumed as a beverage is a natural cure for bad breath.
Cardamom Seeds
The aromatic flavour of cardamom seeds act as a natural breath freshener and is sure a great remedy for bad breath.
ClovesCloves are rich in potent antibacterial substance, eugenol.  Therefore  propelling one into your mouth and biting it will filter the essence through your mouth. Spit it out after a few minutes. However, using powdered cloves or clove oil may burn though.
Cinnamon Stick
Like cloves, cinnamon too contains antiseptic properties.  Hence sucking a cinnamon stick can prove beneficial.
Certain beverages as wine whiskey beer and coffee leave a residue that can attach to the plaque in your mouth and permeate your digestive system. Therefore, each breath you take reeks of bad odour.
Drink Black/Green Tea
Since black and green teas contain powerful polyphenols antioxidants that attack bacterial growth in your mouth, substitute coffee with black or green tea for your morning cuppa for refreshment.
Water has a cleansing effect therefore drinking plenty of water can prevent bad breath and help flush out germs from your mouth.  Keep a glass of water by your bedside at night and drink plenty before you go and wake up from bed for better results.
Sugarless Gum
Chewing on sugarless gum keeps the mouth moist and enables easy flow of saliva. This prevents dry mouth and subsequently the bad odour associated with it.
Skipping meals can become a haven for breeding bacteria as the mouth starts drying without food.
Stress can contribute to innumerable problems with dry mouth being no exception. Dry mouth brings about bad odour and stress aggravates the production of volatile sulphur compounds in the mouth smelling bad.
  • Cigarettes
  • alcohol,
  • onions, garlic
  • strong cheeses like Camembert, Roquefort, and blue cheese
  • Refined carbohydrates like white sugar, white bread and products prepared with them
  • Meat and eggs
  • Some fishes like anchovies and seaweed are high in ‘fishy’ amine odours
  • Never wear dentures, to sleep.  Clean them and leave until morning
  • certain medications that cause bad breath
  • skipping meals
  • dry mouth
  • Alcohol based mouthwashes
  • Article from read and digest  written by Reeta

    My Favorite Comedy Skit involving Dentistry

                                          Just wanted to share a little dental humor.
    Tim Conway and Harvey Korman - Dentist Skit - Carol Burnett show. Tim Conway plays a new
    dentist fresh out of dental school and Harvey Korman is his first patient. Hilariously Funny!!


                                                                                               Dr. Michael Kampourakis

    Natural Home Remedies for Tooth Whitening


    (These following remedies are natural teeth whiteners, but prolong exposure to some can damage enamel, or make teeth extremely sensitive. Please consult with your dentist, some naturally stained dark teeth may need cosmetic dentistry or in office tooth whitening. )
    What is Teeth Whitening?
    Teeth whitening is largely known by the name of teeth bleaching or dental bleaching. Dental bleaching is a common procedure in general dentistry, but takes an important place in cosmetic dentistry. According to the Federation of Dental Association, bleaching whitens the teeth beyond the natural color. Generally, the deciduous teeth of a child are whiter than the ones that follow. With passage of time, adult teeth experience change in color because of changes in mineral structure, eating habits, food goods, tobacco, etc. Some medications can also cause tooth enamel to lose its brilliance, shine, and color. Dental bleaching is not recommended for children under the age of 16, as the process could irritate the pulp or cause it to become sensitive. The procedure is also not recommended in pregnant or lactating women. Usually, tooth whitening does not change the color of fillings and other restorative materials, which means it does not affect porcelain, dental gold, or other ceramics, but can show some effect on restorations made with composite materials, cements and dental amalgams. 

       Generally, whitening potential can be easily assessed holding a white printer paper next to the teeth. If teeth look yellow, the stains are like to be superficial, and can be removed using whitening procedures. In case the teeth look grayish, there are chances that the discoloration is inside the teeth and bleaching would not be able to help a great deal.

    Why Teeth Whitening?
    Change is inevitable. With passage of time, everything deteriorates. White color of your teeth is also prone to change, but depends a lot on your lifestyle and diet. With age, the enamel on teeth becomes thinner and more transparent. As a result of this, the inner layer, called dentin, looks darker. Your eating habits, brushing habits, and a lot more contributes to color of your teeth. Colored liquids that you consume throughout your life also play a vital role in color of your teeth. The most common agents that can push you to undergo a dental whitening procedure are tea, coffee, cola, red wine, cigarette, and tobacco. Chewing, smoking, and consuming tobacco products causes teeth to lose their normal shine, color, and even strength. Moreover, there are times when some fragments of certain colored foods get stuck in your mouth for a longer period of time. Such fragments can cause the teeth to get colored or yellow in long run. In addition to all this, improper brushing habits can result in teeth getting stained and yellow.
    Therefore, to get whiter teeth, one has to undergo dental whitening procedure from time to time.

    Different Types of Teeth Whitening Methods
    Per ADA (American Dental Association), dental bleaching can be done in clinic by a professional dentist, at home by the patient using different bleaching methods, at home by patient using over-the-counter bleaching methods, and using non-dental options usually offered at kiosks, spas, salons, etc.
    All in all, largely, these methods can be classified into two broad categories teeth whitening by a professional dentist and teeth whitening using various techniques at home.

    Home Remedies for Teeth Whitening
    Following are different home remedies for dental bleaching:

    Baking Soda

    Baking soda is an excellent whitening agent. Its whitening properties make it an excellent dental bleaching agent. This natural acid neutralizer has been used since ages to get whiter teeth. One just needs to brush his/her teeth in a regular manner and get some toothpaste and baking soda on a cotton swab. Next, rub the mixture on your teeth and leave it for 5 minutes. Rinse and brush again in a regular manner. Repeating this on a regular basis can result in significant whitening of teeth. Not only white, you will also find your teeth to be smoother after this remedy.

    White Truffle Oil

    Truffle oil has properties to reduce yellowness present on the teeth, and make them whiter and shiny. All you need to do is just dip your toothbrush in white truffle oil and put some toothpaste on it. Brush your teeth in regular manner. Repeat the process at least three times a day after meals. You will notice considerable difference in color of your teeth with less of yellowness. Slowly and steadily, the yellowness disappears, resulting in white, shiny teeth.

    Warm Water

    This is one of the most common methods to get milky white teeth. Warm water does not let settle any impurities on the teeth. It washes away all the impurities, layers, leaving behind white, shiny teeth. Brush your teeth as in a regular manner using warm water. Also, rinse your mouth with warm water. Gradually, it will improve color of your teeth.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    Hydrogen peroxide's cleansing nature makes it an excellent agent to whiten the teeth. Just dip your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide and brush your teeth in a regular manner. Make sure you do not swallow the peroxide. Once done, rise the mouth with warm water. It is one of the most common and largely used methods to get white teeth.

    Olive Oil

    Olive oil has been known to have properties to reduce stains on the teeth. It is especially beneficial for people who have developed stains on their teeth because of excessive smoking and tea/coffee. All you need to do is to just put some olive oil on a washcloth and rub it on the stained teeth. The process will return a considerable shine and color in your tooth.

    Whitening Toothpaste

    Using a whitening toothpaste on a daily basis can help a great deal in this case. Crest Weekly Clean is a good product because as contains heavy silica ingredients that work to brush the stains away pretty easily.

    Whitening Strips

    Most of the over-the-counter teeth whitening strips contain a peroxide-based whitening gel to brighten teeth. These whitening strips, if used on a regular basis, can make your teeth pearly white. Crest 2-Hour Express Whitestrips work excellently as they are made with an advanced-seal, no-slip technology that allows you to talk, drink water and go about your day while the strips are on.

    Sea Salt

    Sea salt combined with water or cider vinegar can do wonders with your teeth. The remedy will probably brighten teeth a bit, but no more so than a commercial application. Just make a mixture and apply on teeth for 5 minutes or so. Make sure you do not use this method repeatedly as it may cause you to experience tooth damage through decay or increased sensitivity.

    Basal (Tulsi)

    Tulsi leaves when mixed with dried rind of orange can also help in whitening the teeth. The properties of tulsi and vitamin C make the mixture an excellent cleansing and whitening agent. Just take dry 15 to 20 leaves of tulsi and dry rind of one orange. Make a mixture and use as a tooth cleaner. You can mix it in your toothpaste and apply.


    Crushed walnut can act as a natural whitener for teeth. In addition to this, the remedy can also prevent teeth yellowing and formation of bacteria. Just crush some walnut and rub it on the teeth gently using your finger. Do not rub it hard as it may damage the gums.


    Strawberries are rich in nutrients that reduce yellowness of teeth. The fruit has been used since ages to get white teeth. Just take 2-3 strawberries and grind them to make a paste. Use this paste to brush your teeth on a regular basis. Result will appear in few days.

    Orange Rind

    Orange rind has teeth whitening properties and is therefore an excellent agent to whiten teeth. Dry the rind of a single orange for a day and rub its inner portion on teeth. It is an effective remedy that shows results in first week.

    Sage (salvia) Leaves

    Sage leaves have properties that reduce yellowness and promote whitening of teeth. In addition to this, these provide shine and strength to the tooth enamel. Brush stained teeth using sage leaves on a regular basis. Regular application will result in sparkling white teeth.

    Diet for Teeth Whitening


    Strawberries can help whiten teeth as they contain an enzyme called malic acid. Malic acid dissolves yellow layer and impurities, resulting in white shiny teeth. Eating strawberries on a regular basis and rubbing it on teeth while eating can be a beneficial idea to whiten teeth. Just leave the juice on your teeth for one minute and then rinse with water. In addition to this, fiber in strawberries also behaves as a natural cleaner by removing bacteria from the teeth and mouth.


    Raisins can help to keep teeth white by stimulating production of saliva, which, in turn, naturally helps to rinse away plaque and impurities. Make sure you do not let raisins stick in between teeth as it can help formation of cavities. Rinse your mouth immediately after having raisins.

    Citrus Fruits

    Citrus fruits like oranges and pineapples can also stimulate the production of saliva, resulting in dissolving and rinsing plaque. These can be pretty useful in whitening of teeth in longer run. Rinsing teeth with 1:1 water and lemon juice solution once or twice a week can help. Remember, overdoing it can result in damage to the teeth.

    Yogurt, Milk and Cheese

    Dairy products contain lactic acid and calcium which has power to decrease gum diseases and maintain healthy development of teeth. Therefore, it is advised to consume more milk products to get strong, white, shiny teeth.

    Preventive Measures
    Following are some of the preventive measures to reduce staining or promote whitening of teeth:
    • People who have painfully sensitive teeth to cold/hot beverages and sweet food should not do their own whitening. Also, people with crowns, fillings and enamel seems more gray than yellow should not resort to whitening measures on their own.
    • Avoid excess of coffee, tea, and dyed beverages. These contribute to make your teeth yellow.
    • Brush thoroughly after every meal, if possible. This prevents sticking of any food particle in mouth and formation of bacteria, which, in turn, cause yellowing of teeth.
    • Avoid high-dosage antibiotics for long durations as they can lead to discoloration of teeth. Tetracycline, if taken for longer duration, can result in yellowing of teeth.
    • Avoid excess sugar, tea, coffee, and deep colored soybean paste as they can give stain in the teeth.
    • Do not scratch the stains using fingernails.
    • Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol to prevent yellowing of teeth.
    • Use a straw while sipping dark beverages; it allows the food dyes to bypass teeth altogether.
    • Avoid chewing tobacco or tobacco-containing products.

    Other Treatment Methods for Teeth Whitening


    Regular brushing definitely helps in whitening the teeth. Regular and thorough brushing does not allow impurities to settle in mouth, which result in formation of yellow layer over the teeth. Regular and thorough brushing with a good-quality whitening toothpaste is one of the most effective methods to get white, shiny teeth.

    Bleaching Strips

    Bleaching strips are again very helpful in providing white and shiny teeth. Bleaching strips are loaded with bleaching agents that act far more quickly than any home remedy or brushing technique. These strips show their effect in an hour of application, and can be used fortnightly or even monthly to maintain white and shiny teeth.

    Bleaching Pen

    It is another method for teeth whitening. Bleaching pen, again, contains bleaching agent, generally carbamide peroxide which reacts with water to form hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known teeth whitening agent that dissolves impurities and reduces yellowness of teeth, rendering them white and shiny.

    Bleaching Gel

    Using a bleaching gel is another effective method to get white and shiny teeth. The gel (carbamide peroxide) reacts with water to form hydrogen peroxide, which reduces yellowness and helps teeth to give a whiter appearance.


    Bonding can mask tooth stains go give a whiter appearance. In this, a thin coating of composite material is applied to the front of teeth and then cured with a blue light. A veneer can also mask tooth discoloration.

    WE CATER TO COWARDS!!!!!!!!!!

    Neglect of one's mouth will not only become a compounding future financial consequence but more importantly an overall health issue.  This day and age of implant dentistry or bridgework, nothing compares to your own natural teeth. Fear of the dentist is the leading cause of dental neglect and with my 15 year+ dental experience I have found that majority of these fears stem from going to a dentist as a child. Providing knowledge and establishing trust with my patients have alleviated their fears over time,  don't get me wrong those severe fears may never go away fully  but the trust you form with your doctor will help you overcome or manage these fears.   The oral cavity is a gateway and a sneak peak to your overall health, not only showing possible serious health issues but neglect of the oral cavity can lead to serious health issues. This blog has been created to provide  a forum about various topics related to all aspects of dentistry  and oral health issues. Knowledge from future articles, discussions   and my dental experiences will  answer many of your dental questions. Preventative care will avoid many serious health issues and waiting for dental pain is not the only indication of a serious problem. "We Cater To Cowards" is our office trademark/motto. We are here to help and since I perform all cosmetic general & Implant dentistry from start to finish you only build a relationship with one dentist. Our new dental building has all the comforts of being at home(fireplace, waterfall, TV's in every room, coffee/tea ) & modern technology(Dental  3D Cat- Scan Imaging, Soft tissue laser, digital xrays), this is not your grandfather's dentist  or the dentist you went to as a child. If there is any specific  oral health topics, dental questions or even tooth whitening, please let me know. I hope you follow my future posts and I look forward to our future discussions.

    "We Cater To Cowards"

    Dr. Michael Kampourakis DDS