Anyone who suffers from a chronic case of halitosis might well doubt that anything as simple as a bad breath herbal remedy could work. Surprisingly, there is a long list of herbal remedies for bad breath that have been passed down to us through folklore, gathered from various cultures, or recently discovered. All of them are worth consideration if you are looking for a long term treatment for bad breath and you don't want to rely on chemical antiseptic products, or if you are seeking a natural short term breath freshener.
Perhaps one of the best known herbal remedies is bad breath chlorophyll treatment, probably because chlorophyll has been used in commercial breath products. The idea behind chlorophyll, a pigment naturally produced by green plants, is that it reacts with odor causing molecules and removes them. Chlorophyll has been used to reduce body odor and fecal odors, and is a favorite with deer hunters who smoke (it apparently is very effective at masking the odor of tobacco smoke on a hunter's breath, which might be detected by the deer). As a bad breath herbal remedy, chlorophyll's greatest strength probably lies in similar situations: temporary breath odors caused by foods like garlic and onions, or by smoking.
Among the traditional bad breath herbal remedy examples we find chewing mint, parsley, or dill leaves; sucking or chewing a clove; chewing dill or anise seeds; drinking tea made with coriander, sage, or dill, and rinsing with lemon juice. Clearly these plants all have something in common: they all have a strong and relatively pleasant aroma of their own that, like bad breath chlorophyll treatments, will help to mask bad breath at least for a while. In addition, however, many of them do have proven antiseptic qualities, which may make them valid alternatives to antiseptic mouthwash if the aim is to kill off the oral bacteria that produce breath odor. It's important to remember, however, that many herbs and spices, normally used in small amounts in cooking, have toxic properties when used in large amounts. Before using any herbal remedy in larger quantities, thoroughly investigate its safety and consult an herbalist if possible.
Like bad breath chlorophyll products, a few other herbs and medicinal plants have been incorporated into commercial products marketed for bad breath. Eucalyptus oil is one of these, often used in mouthwashes over the years. New dietary supplements incorporate St. John's wort, licorice root, Echinacea, ginger, and ginseng. Parsley, meanwhile, is being processed to produce parsley oil capsules, now commonly marketed as a
bad breath herbal remedy. And a new essential oil that has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties is also commercially refined and recommended (in small amounts) for bad breath: tea tree oil.
Always consult your doctor before taking any remedy or supplement on an ongoing basis, particularly if you are pregnant or have other health issues.
