Herbal Remedies for Ayurvedic Treatment of Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Bad breath is known as halitosis. It is usually due to improper cleaning of the teeth and tongue that leads to germ build up in the mouth and throat that gives off foul smell while exhaling or talking.

CAUSES

The main cause of bad breath is mainly due to sulfur producing bacteria that live on the surface of the gums, tongue and throat. When these bacteria present in the mouth break down the proteins, they release a sulfurous odour that causes bad breath. Besides, when the salivary glands present in the mouth fail to produce sufficient saliva, the dead cells get accumulated in the mouth and produce foul odour in breath.

The other causes are:

• Poor digestion
• Dry mouth
• Gum problems
• Eating no fibre food and less carbohydrates
• Tooth decay
• Poor oral hygiene
• Post nasal drip
• Digestive disorders such as chronic constipation and indigestion
• Respiratory disorders such as sinusitis, pneumonia and bronchitis are also responsible for causing halitosis
• Liver diseases, diabetes, acid reflux can also become its causes.
• Chewing tobacco
• Sometimes fasting and diet can also cause halitosis as it leads to dryness of the mouth and allows plaque formation.
• Consuming foods like garlic, onion, raddish that produces bad breath from the mouth

SYMPTOMS

• Unpleasant odour from the mouth
• Dryness in the mouth
• Bad taste
• Feeling of something coated in the mouth
• Swollen and Bleeding gums
• Mouth sores
• Difficulty to engulf food
• Plague between teeth
• Pain in the teeth and gums
• Formation of pus in the gums

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

According to Ayurveda, the main cause behind bad breath is the poor digestion. Poor digestion leads to the accumulation of the toxins or ama in the body that further produces blockage and stagnation within the srotas or channels in the body. These toxins or ama dosha when appear in the breath, produce bad odour.

Single herbs that are beneficial in this case are:

• Amalaki
• Guduchi
• Haritaki
• Gandhak
• Cardamom
• Mint
• Fenugreek
• Laung
• Bakul
• Coriander
• Vibhitaki
• Cumin seeds
• Black pepper
• Yashtimadhu
• Sariva
• Turmeric

PANCHKARMA

Panchkarma procedure, Gandush with warm water or with Triphala decoction has good results in this case. In Gandush, the desired liquid is filled in the mouth till its maximum capacity and held upto the maximum time patient is able to handle and then it is spit off. The procedure is repeated for 2- 3 times. This helps in cleaning the oral cavity and thus removes the bad breath.

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Brush two times a day.
• Rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal as this helps to remove the clogged food particles from the mouth.
• Drink pineapple juice as it purifies the mouth.
• Consume the tea made from the leaves of fenugreek
• Chew a piece of clove after every meal.
• Apple and guava should be taken in your diet as they prevent the bacterial activity in the mouth.
• Use tongue cleaner to clean the tongue regularly.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol.
• Food timings should be regular.
• Do regular excercises to maintain good digestion.
• Eating fennel seeds regularly helps in removing the bad odour from the mouth.
• Consume food stuffs rich in zinc as it inhibits the growth of anaerobic bacteria and hence prevents bad breath.
• Drink enough water to prevent excessive dryness of mouth.
• Practice yoga and pranayam to avoid the digestive problems and for curing halitosis.

HERBAL REMEDIES

• Take one cup of hot water and add three teaspoons of cinnamon powder to it. Mix them well and use this as a mouthwash when lukewarm.
• Chew few parsley leaves as they are rich in chlorophyll and work as natural deodorizer.
• Take equal amounts of bakul, khadir, clove, betel nut, cardamom, cumin seeds, vidang, Manjishtha, black pepper and camphor. Prepare a powder of the above ingredients and store them in a vessel. This can be used as a mouth wash or for cleaning the teeth.

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