If you are tired of saying no to social engagements because of your smelly breath, then you better start looking for ways and methods to kill your bad breath.

This situation can occur due to many reasons. Main among them is because of some chronic ailments like respiratory tract infection, chronic gastritis, liver dysfunction, tonsillitis etc.

If even after treating these ailments you continue to have foul breath, then start looking for its causes and effective remedies.

Temporary bad breath which is caused by, for instance, having garlic or onion, smoking etc. can be treated by simply brushing your teeth after the act. Sucking on a wedge of lemon sprinkled with salt will also help in masking the breath of garlic. Some persons tend to have cloves to overcome the bad stench of their breath.

Gargling with mouthwashes is another effective way to get rid of bad breath. But one must be careful as the alcohol present in it may be harmful in the long run as it will destroy the good bacteria of your mouth. Further, it is temporary in nature.

One very common cause of bad breath is plaque built up. This results in gaps between the teeth and gums where the foul smelling bacteria will build up due to food particle remains, hence causing this condition.

To prevent plaque built up you must visit your dentist regularly and get it cleaned. Another way to kill foul breath is to avoid having dry mouth or xerostomia. It might happen due to side effects of medicines or when your body gets dehydrated. Have at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. Another method to avoid this situation is to go for artificial saliva substitute.

Some traditional home remedies are very popular in killing bad breath. For instance dissolving baking soda in water and cleaning and brushing the teeth and tongue with it will freshen up your breath.

Rinsing mouth with lemon juice dissolved in water is another way to fight bad breath. Several herbs like cloves, aniseed, rosemary, thyme are recommended as breath fresheners. They can be either chewed or used as tea stewed in hot water.

A very easy and effective way to fight bad breath is to have a balanced diet. Make sure to include yogurt in it as the good bacteria of yogurt helps in killing the bacteria which produces foul smells. This fact has been backed by modern research too.