Five essential Ayurvedic tips to prevent bad breath
Some people struggle with bad breath — caused by bacteria buildup in the mouth — despite trying various remedies. Frequent bad breath or halitosis can also be caused by reasons like less water intake, frequent eating, poor gut health, chronic constipation, hyperacidity, and breathing through the mouth while sleeping among other reasons, shared ayurvedic practitioner Dr Dixa Bhavsar.
“The best treatment is to find the cause and avoid it. But until then, following these 5 tips can help you prevent halitosis,” she suggested in an Instagram post.
Brushing twice a day (in the morning and evening)
Brushing and tongue scraping in the morning helps eradicate all the toxins accumulated in the mouth overnight. Doing the same at night also ensures optimum oral health as you sleep with a clean mouth, which is most important for gut health.
Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special price
Eating fennel seeds post meals
Fennel seeds are digestive in nature and consist of flavonoids. They help stimulate the flow of saliva and get rid of dry mouth. Fennel seeds have an aromatic flavour that helps combat bad breath which often accompanies dry mouth.
Gargling (kavala) post meal
Ayurveda doesn’t recommend drinking water right after meals as it can slow down metabolism. But water is a must for cleaning of mouth especially after meals. So just gargling (filling your mouth with some water and swishing it for 2-3 minutes is known as kavala in Ayurveda) can be done. It ensures no food particles are left/are stuck in the mouth.
Gargling is considered an effective remedy. Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Eating meals properly (no frequent snacking)
Snacking frequently leaves more chances of food getting stuck in the mouth. It’s impractical to brush whenever you eat something. So for oral health as well as gut health, try having three proper meals and stop snacking every two hours. It’s best to keep at least three hours of gap between two consecutive meals.
Drinking enough water
Yes, drinking water is mandatory for every function of your body, especially oral health, said Dr Bhavsar.
How much water should you drink?
“Just enough to keep your urine pale and not yellow. If your urine is crystal clear to pale, it means you are drinking enough water. If its yellow, you have to drink more water,” she noted.
Best of Express Premium
Premium
Premium
Premium
Premium? For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!
