Natural Cures for Bad Breath and Halitosis

Activated Charcoal

Posted by Mary (Staffordshire) on 02/16/2017
★★★★★

Thank you all for your candid contributions. I started using activated charcoal capsule once a day and brush with activated tooth paste once a day as well. I found that people are no longer rubbing their noses or moving backward when talking to them.

I have been living with halitosis for 15 years until 2017 when the above remedy worked for me. Previously I have spent thousands of pounds with private dentist, had tooth extractions etc.

Thank you all.

Activated Charcoal

Posted by Charity (Faithville, Usa) on 08/04/2017

21 yr olds can be picky about what they will try . He might like some popcorn 1/4 cup popped in 1 TBSP coconut oil .Cold pressed is best, I buy large tub at costco, sprinkle sea salt on it and serve with some lemon water.

Activated charcoal would be used at bedtime 2-4 capsules with at least 16 ounces of water . Sleep like a baby. Vinegar is not tasty but you could use capful to cup of water with bit of honey drink through a straw, I"m having it for daily breakfast, YUCK. At bedtime brush teeth gently with small amount of baking soda, very gently...then make a paste of 1/4 tsp each of ~baking soda and coconut oil and apply to teeth and swallow whatever comes off but leave on overnight .

Small bowl of kefir 1/4 cup with a 1/4 cup of fruit to sweeten should reestablish his gut flora after using the charcoal at bedtime.

A bath with some epsom salt (magnesium ) might help him detox his body a bit . Even a foot soak with the salt would work. Loosens up the bowels and helps body with mineral balance.

Waterpik

Posted by Chris (Floral Park, Ny) on 12/21/2016
★★★★★

Waterpik has solved my decade long problem. Even after flossing and swishing everything in my mouth my breath always was foul. I bought a waterpik recently and watched as bits and bits of rotting food came out. No more bad taste in my mouth and my breath is good. Thank God!

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by CB (San Luis Obispo) on 11/14/2016

No, I wouldn't give up on the H2o2 remedy. But you might want to try a water pic device before you do the hydrogen peroxide gargle. You might have some kind of tooth or gum infection that is causing the bad breath and must treat that first. I've previously discovered an area in my upper gums that generate terrible smells when the water shoots through the area. If you use the water pic, don't add anything to the water so you can smell if anything is going on when the water hits it. If you use a mouthwash in the water pic, you will mask the smell of the infection. It's a great diagnostic tool in my opinion.

Other things to try are cleansing your sinuses using a neti pot with sea salt and a dash of hydrogen peroxide daily. I have also heard that infected gallbladders can cause bad breath. Good luck to you!

Chlorophyll

Posted by Mike (Gadsden, Alabama) on 08/10/2015
★★★★★

I've had bad breath for 20 years and worked in industry and sales. I've tried gastroenterologist, dentist orthodontist and ENT. Drove 150 miles to dental clinic in Atlanta. All to no avail. Still had bad breath. In my local health food store to buy coconut oil, for oil pulling talked with sales person. She suggested chlorophyll liquid. Three days later no bad breath. I can't believe it. A lot of stress gone. Chlorophyll liquid couple of ounces a day in orange juice.

Acidophilus

Posted by Love (Louisville, Ky) on 02/16/2013
★★★★★

YAHOO! BRAVO! I've had bad breath for the last 20 years. My teeth and gums are OK... It didn't dawn on me that it could be my stomach?

I'm a green juicer and maybe that was causing my bad breath. Oil pulling helps a bit, but, not enough. So, last week I went to the health store and bought Acidophilus (3 billion) and within 20 minutes my bad breath was gone.... I take two daily.

Usually when I get up in the morning I have bad breath... Not anymore!!!! I'm over the moon happy. I still brush with baking soda and swish with organic coconut oils... But, I finally solved my issue!

I haven't had bad breath since buy acidophilus. I wish I had know years ago. I also foundout that diary and sugar gives you bad breath.

Thank you! Love

Acidophilus

Posted by Marty (Austin, Tx) on 06/09/2014

CANDIDA OVERGROWTH IS THE CAUSE!

You have to kill the candida first and then take the probiotics. Candida is hard to kill and you need something very strong like Black walnut hull tincture. I followed many of the remedies here to alleviate candida and white tongue and nothing worked until I did a serious bowel/candida cleanse as follow:

Dr. Clark Clark Bowel Cleanse + Oregano oil

Duration: 25 days

Breakfast:

Black walnut hull tincture (20 min before breakfast)

Drink a cup of hot water before breakfast

Take 3 caps of turmeric (500mg)

Take 3 caps fennel (450mg)

1 caps of digestive enzymes

Take 2 caps of betaine (350mg)

Take 1 cap of Cascara sagrada (350mg)

1 empty cap with 5 drops of oregano oil.

Lunch:

Take 3 caps of turmeric (500mg)

Take 3 caps fennel (450mg)

1 cap of digestive enzymes

Take 2 caps of betaine (350mg)

1 cap of magnesium oxide

Dinner:

Take 3 caps of turmeric (500mg)

Take 3 caps fennel (450mg)

1 cap of digestive enzymes

Take 2 caps of betaine (350mg)

1 cap of magnesium oxide

1 empty cap with 5 drops of oregano oil.

Between Meals

Lugols iodine: 6 drops, 4 times a day in glass of water

Doses:

BWH tincture: day 1 to 5: 1 tbsp every day in COLD water

Days 8,12,16,20 and 24: 3 tbsp everyday in COLD water

This bowel cleanse is very effective because uses anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal agents. Candida works in conjunction with parasites and bacteria.

After this cleanse then you need to take a strong probiotic formula to make sure your intestinal flora and fauna is balanced. (find an 8 strand formula of at least 10 billion).

Hope this helps! It helped me a lot.

Activated Charcoal

Posted by Bill (Westwood, New Jersey ) on 04/19/2013

I wanted to chime in regarding using regular charcoal for ingestion.... IMO you would be taking serious risks by putting this in your system. Activated is charcol is readily available and cost effective so why would you even consider such craziness. I'm sure the grilling charcol is loaded with toxins and adjunts that I personally would not suggest ingesting on any level.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Al (Usa) on 01/10/2016

It's coming from your tongue. I suffer from bad breath since 1984. I very spent at least 20000 dollars. I had tonsillectomy, septum surgery, went see Dr spider in Australia., Dr Katz in California, Dr miller in virginia. Nothing helps. One day I decided to cure myself. I very noticed my tongue was always white. I bought a tongue brush and started to brush my tongue as hard I could for 5 minutes. My mouth was bloody but the pain was nothing compared to 30 years of embarrassment. I clean my mouth with warm water. Voila! My life changes from that moment. No more bad taste. I immediately went to the supermarket and started talking on the phone to see how people reacts. No reaction whatsoever. That was the first I ever talk to the cashier I even say thank you just to test my breath.

Once again it's your tongue. Don't use toothbrush. Use a tongue brush . You need to get rid of the white film. The bacterias live underneath.

Good luck.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Seema (London, Uk) on 12/19/2011

Hello Akbor,

I read your dilemma and was compelled to write. I myself have suffered for as far back as I can remember. 20 yrs or so. I am now finally Bad breath free. I also had problems with flatulence and body odour - and I'm a woman. How shameful do you think that was for me??!! Yes I had tried everything for all my probs, yes I too felt suicidal at times. I came to control my gas and BO but the most distressing was BB. All the expensive mouthwashes had failed me. After spending hours on the internet while hubby was away on business I came across apple cider vinegar. I took a couple of tsps before every meal and amazingly my breath and gas was better. Well gas was non-existent because of this and even I started sleeping better. I am so thankful for this board, ACV has really sorted out all my problems it seems years of lack of digestive enzymes was the cause of my problems, I even now take probiotics which again helped the breath but never 100%. I know what i;m about to write will sound sooooooo stuuuuuupid but unless you have some thing really internally not right or perhaps are really overly Lactose intolerant (as this means that undigseted lactose gets into intestines and beacuase body cannot break it down it is exhaled in the breath and hydrogen in breath STINKS, but even that is quite temporary) it really is all about the mouth. NOw let me say I brusha nd brush and brush and then use mouthwash and the smell wiuld be back like within minutes. I really believed I had the best oral hygiene.

However when I started flossing my breath every nook and cranny in my mouth by bad breath just disappeared. I'm assuming that you may have tried this but if yiu havent pls do try it. I realise now that becasue my teeth are so tightly packed right next to one another I assumed I didnt need to floss, but that was exactly the cause of my problem now to think I had never flossed since I had my adult teeth sounds just insane no but I really thought brushing and mouthwash would be enough. I can now actually get confidently close to people without the sniggering and enjoy kissing my husband. I wish you well.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Posted by Naiveburrito (Lincoln, Ne) on 11/12/2011
★★★★★

I have had bad breath starting around age 12. It's nothing that's stopping me from having a social life, but, gum has been offered... And sometimes you can just tell. I had strep many times as a kid, and have always had huge tonsils and sinus issues incluing post-nasal drip. It took me awhile to figure out that brushing my teeth wasn't sufficient. A doctor told me I had tonsil stones when I was 18. I read somewhere that a way to see if you had bad breath was to lick your hand and smell it after 30 seconds. I tried that and there was no smell, so I knew it wasn't in my mouth. I had an epiphany and touched the back of my tonsil, and my finger reeked like rotten egg/sulfuric/sickly sweet/salty??? crap.

What I have tried:

Hydrogen Peroxide: Works great on the short term as a substitute for mouthwash. Not a long term solution.

Apple Cider Vinegar: I felt like it freshened things up, but the effects seemed to diminish over time.

Grapefruit seed extract: same as ACV.

I spent hours digging around in my tonsils, but they still smelled bad. There is a deep crypt behind my left tonsil that seems to be the trouble spot.
I bought a neti pot, which really does the trick, but only for 3-4 hours.

One day I bought some colloidal silver. I gargled with it, and it seemed to help. Then, I decided to shoot it up my nose with a dental syringe. I leaned over the sink and slowly shot a stream up, and bent my head over so that it could 'penetrate the sinuses'. It worked better than anything I had tried before!

I got a little paranoid reading about colloidal silver online, and didn't want to overdo it. So, I decided to break out the old Grapefruit seed extract. Success!
I dilute it and shoot it up the nose with the syringe. It really clears things out. I have been doing this for about 2 weeks and realize I am no longer conscious of a gross taste in my throat. When I touch my tonsil, my finger doesn't smell. GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT UP THE NOSE! I still use the silver sometimes, but usually just once a week. Needless to say I am pretty happy about this. Give it a try if you think your halitosis is sinus related.

Diatomaceous Earth

Posted by Kimber (Ca) on 02/10/2016
★★★★★

This is true! I suffered for 25 years until I heard about the food grade diatomacious earth. I thought nothing would help and believe me I tried every mouth wash, gum, you name it! It was bad! After one day of taking just 1/2 teaspoon in water, it solved my issue like a magic trick. I couldn't believe it! My life has changed for the better. People aren't walking away anymore, putting their hand over their nose or checking their baby's diaper (yes, that happened! ). I'm so much more confident!

Activated Charcoal

Posted by Bellabing (Manila, Philippines) on 07/24/2012
★★★★★

Hi, I have been suffering chronic BB for 5 years to the extent that I resigned from my job and lost an opportunity to work abroad. I have suffered so much humilation and people will almost laugh at me everytime they smelled my stinking breath. I was diagnosed with ulcer, hiatal hernia, gastritis, esophagitis, and doudenitis. I've been taking prescriptions but my bb is still there. I went to ENT to have my throat and nose examined and the doctor found out that I have tonsil stones that smelled like "poo". I was able to remove it and cleanse my tonsils after brushing and rub with a mixture of salt, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. I tried so many remidies like brushing, flossing, oil pulling, liquid chlorophyll, gargling with 50% water and 50% hydrogen peroxide after meals, but my breath would still stink. I have seek an alternative medicine and the doctor told me that I have to cleanse my system with fruits and vegetables especially "raw and green" to detoxify my body. Strickly no meat, white breads, pasta, sweets, fried foods, soda, and dairy foods. He advised me to drink organic, green vegetable smoothie with fruits everyday especially in the morning on an empty stomach. I also take "activated charcoal capsules" in a glass of warm water 4 times a day, 2 hours before meal. And I noticed my breath has improved and I can talk to people face to face. Thanks to the wonders of nature "green veges and fruits", "activated charcoal" (please google search activated charcoal for more info) and, "internet" for the priceless information. God is good all the time. Cheers! :)

Goldenseal and Echinacea

Posted by Sandra (Near Atlanta, Georgia) on 05/06/2007
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Thank you for this site. It is so informative and helpful! I discovered it a few months ago after I did a search for more information on oil pulling after hearing about it on a radio show. Since then I occassionally browse your site. I have yet to try the oil pulling, but I have started using Apple Cider Vinegar and the Blackstrap Molasses. I have not been consistent with the Blackstrap Molasses, but it has helped me. I am anemic with a fibroid & feel the difference in my energy & appearence. I have been using the ACV every day. I drink it in the mornings and I also put it in bottled water & take it with me to work to sip on all day. This has helped me with bad breath and is strengthening my gums and teeth.

I also want to share something that will stop bad breath that I have not seen discussed anywhere. I know from personal experience how big this problem can be. Perhaps my experience will help someone who is hurting and needing help as I was. I quit a very good job because of my problem. I suffered a lot of hurt and embarrassment not to mention the financial stress of being unemployed. At the time I could not see another solution to my problem. My job required talking on the telephone with customers all day long and being in close quarters with many co-workers. I could not afford to go to the dentist. Even though I had that job I was not yet eligible for dental insurance. I wish I'd found the solution before I quit. I had very bad breath from infected gums and an infected tooth with a hole in it. I tried all kinds of things, but nothing would stop the smell. I tried several things and added more things as I discovered them. (Peroxide, baking soda, lots of vitamin C, etc.) Then I decided that I could temporarily plug up the hole with cotton soaked with Tea Tree Oil. Then I started using some dental wax to cover the cotton. That helped a lot, but the smell & taste from the infected tooth came back after a very short period of time.

Then one day I decided to see what herbs the herbalist Dr. John Christopher recommended for my problem. In that search I found information on Echinacea. He said this herb actually eliminates foul odors and fetid discharges. It's anti-putrefactive, and arrests pus formation. Also it is an excellent healing agent wherever tissue decay is taking place and it is a blood purifier.

I immediately found some Echinacea and Goldenseal capsules that I had sitting around and took some. Then I opened one of the capsules and poured some of the powder in the hole in my tooth and packed it with the Tea Tree Oil soaked cotton. This WORKED! The Echinacea & Goldenseal powder got rid of the odor! It's getting rid of the infection. It turns out that Goldenseal is also good for periodontal disease. It also helps with digestive disorders that might cause bad breath. I'm thrilled! I now have another good job that is in some ways better than the other one. It also requires that I talk to customers on the telephone all day and be in close quarters with co-workers. Everything is fine there. I have not been to a dentist yet, but my bad breath and gum infection is under control. I will eventually have to go to the dentist to have the hole filled, but I am so happy that this problem is solved. No more embarrassment from having bad breath and I don't have to make an expensive trip to the dentist without insurance.

Again, THANK YOU for this site. You don't know how much you're helping by the information you provide.

Magnesium, Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Jodi (Merrillville, IN) on 01/27/2007
★★★★★

Unlike others, my bad breath is caused by a sinus condition. The phlegm sits in the back of my throat causing bad breath. I was told to try magnesium which is supposed to break it up and makes the passageway clear. For me, it is the first thing to ever clear the throat. I then tried the hydrogen peroxide and no more bad breath. let me know how this works.

Acidophilus

Posted by Zark (Emerald City) on 03/24/2024
★★★★★

Acidophilus:

This worked very well thanks! After brushing my teeth and using mouthwash, I then took one high strength probiotic capsule and mixed it into water. I swished it around my mouth and drank it. Then used my toothbrush to try and massage it in. Wife reported in the morning no more bad breath - breath is bad at night and in the morning for me when I awake.

Well, I don't know if you need to mix it in and swish it around your mouth but it worked :) I figure may as well try and improve the whole mouth flora at the same time.

Cranberry Extract

Posted by Michelin (Roswell, Ga) on 10/10/2022

Hi there,

I use organic cranberry extract. Currently I'm using the Dr. Mercola brand. I think any good brand they will work the same. I can tell you that I've noticed body odor going away from the use of these capsules.

In addition to a couple of pills per day I drink organic cranberry juice (unsweetened), and it has completed killed any oral thrush in my mouth. I tried all kinds of remedies to remove the yeast and drinking cranberry was like a miracle!

Remedies I tried that didn't work for oral thrush: Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, Colloidal Silver, CDS (aka MMS), etc. Nano Soma works for oral thrush but it's about $67 per bottle and it may take 2 bottles to work using high doses per day (30 sprays). The $7 bottle of organic cranberry juice worked in like 2 days. Amazing.

I hope this helps:)

Zeolite

Posted by Matilda (Monteneegro) on 07/26/2017
★★★★★

I cured bad breath that I had for 10 years by drinking zeolite clinoptilolite! I took 3 dosages of zeolite powder with water daily, for 4 months.

It also helped me to reduce high blood pressure.

Activated Charcoal

Posted by Joseph (Botswana) on 04/29/2016
★★★★★

It is amazing! Halitosis has completely disappeared since 20th April, 2016.

Dose: two teaspoonful of activated charcoal powder in a glass of drinking water, 3 hrs after dinner.

Brushing teeth using charcoal paste 3 times daily.

Now I am glad, I am smiling, I am cured! God bless you plenty.

EC: Charcoal should always be taken with plenty of water to avoid constipation.

Activated Charcoal

Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 08/07/2017

Dear Priya,

Some people use activated charcoal daily for years. The two biggest concerns would be constipation (always take with plenty of water) and the removal of probiotics from the gut (not sure if this actually happens, but caution should be taken by eating yogurt or probiotic foods daily.)

The 1 teaspoon a day you have been giving sounds reasonable if it seems to suit him.

If the cause of bad breath is not addressed this will not be a permanent cure. If a poor diet is the cause, that would need to be addressed for the cure to be permanent.

One of my sons once had a chronic onion smell for no reason we could tell. I gave him bentonite clay internally for a while and it cleared it up and it did not return. I never knew the cause; it was not from eating onions. He was only 9 or so at the time.

I hope he listens well to you and that you both see results soon!

~Mama to Many~

Zinc

Posted by Tony (London) on 08/04/2015
★★★★★

I have suffered from bad breath for 7 years chronic bad breath I tried every thing charcoal pills, candida pills, oil pulling, coconut oil , b6, zinc, peroxide, I've read everything and tried everything the answer is ZINC (gluconate) 30mg from Swanson 2 x day with food because it tears up ur gizzard apparently so also google side effects. See a doctor and dentist if they cant help you try this. Also diet change, no dairy because it forms mucus bacteria live and cut the meat down 30% veg 50% no onion or garlic stays in the blood. Get a tongue scraper and oil pull with coconut oil.

Lick the back of ur hand and see how it is, I was too embarrased to see a doctor or dentist, manage your breath and research, trial and error, be careful with zinc its got a lot of side effects, but it's definately helped. Good luck!!

General Feedback

Posted by Cindy (Elmont ) on 12/01/2018

Wow I have the same problem for 8 years now. But have you tried a candida cleanse or a colon cleanse, and tried drinking kombucha for months at least 3 months of cleanse and kombucha and trying to kill bad bacteria. I read about a woman who had this and she cured it with drinking kombucha (home made which is what I am doing ) for months also drinking apple cider vinegar before eating meals. Family members that's close to you always say they don't smell anything but co workers and friends smells it but acts funny.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Desperateandhumiliated (Ny, Ny) on 03/28/2015

I know exactly how you feel. It's 3:39 am. I can not sleep. I'm looking at possible solution to this awful problem. Because just earlier today, my colleague said that she was smelling a dead rat as I was speaking.

Diatomaceous Earth

Posted by Anonymous Writer (New York, Ny) on 06/18/2020
★★★★★

I would definitely recommend diatomaceous earth. It totally solved this issue that I had struggled with for years. I started in October 2018 and took it for six months until the whole bag was finished. I haven't had a problem since and from the first time I took it, my therapist, who would often mention the problem to me, told me he smelled nothing.

Flossing

Posted by Maria (Miami, Florida) on 03/06/2011
★★★★★

Hello, I am a Dentist from Venezuela and a Registered Dental Hygienist in Florida. Along more than 18 years of dental practice and experience dedicated mostly to the Dental Hygiene area I have become to learn that there are several causes for bad breath or "Alitosis" like dry mouth, stomach problems, cavities, etc but the MAIN cause of this condition is "LACK OF DAILY FLOSSING". Most of the people who suffer from this condition just DON'T floss. When you don't floss ALL contacts between ALL your teeth, plaque builds up under your gums and between your teeth, in less than 8 hours this plaque becomes BACTERIA and of course, with time if not removed properly, it turns into hard deposits of tartar. This is a chronic process. Lack of flossing can also led other type of health problems that can affect vital organs like the heart, kidneys, lungs, uterus, ovaries, etc.

Flossing

Posted by Tinabones (Houston, Texas) on 05/02/2015

That's not true for the people on sites like these. If ur paying attention- these people have tried everything NORMAL and its not helping. I heard on another website that bismuth ( like pepto bismol) sometimes helps because it kills bacteria in the gut.

H. Pylori Cause

Posted by Louise (Chicago, Il) on 02/17/2011

After about 10 years of chronic halitosis I have finally been cured. I am a healthy 36 year old female but had halitosis no matter what I did. I wanted to get to the root of my problem so I tried oral hygiene. I brushed, cleaned with baking soda, vinegar, various mouth washes. Nothing worked. I then was seen by a ear, nose, throat doctor. I was told I had post nasal drip that could be the cause. After I used a neti pot to clear my nose for weeks with saline, I still continued to have bad breath. I next tried eating different foods, I tried about 10 different diets from gluten free to vegetarian. Nothing worked.

I finally went to a GI doctor. After some testing I was diagnosed with H Pylori, a bacteria in my intestinal lining. It is very common. About half of the world has it!! I have been on a triple antibiotic treatment for it for 3 days now and my halitosis disappeared after the first day! It's a miracle. This could be the source of halitosis for most people and they aren't even aware of it. Yogurt, probiotics, mint, etc, are just temporary cover ups for a long term problem that needs serious treatment.

H. Pylori Cause

Posted by Dr. Fever (City Of Manila, Philippines) on 10/26/2011

May I ask what antibiotic or medicine your doctor gave you? Thank you.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Maureen (Brooklyn, Ny, Usa) on 09/13/2010
★★★★★

I have got to thank every one of you who posted recommendations for the use of hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash for bad breath. I have been off white sugar and white flour for 10 weeks now and the candida death caused my mouth to be infiltrated w/ bacteria and my breath was stomach wrenching. One wash w/ peroxide created such a foaming action from my throat all the way through to my teeth that I could not believe the die off of toxins... I'm talking like white golf balls of foam, scraped my tongue after, brushed and rinsed and may I say sweet breath ever since. Doing it again tonight!!!! Delighted. This site has been such a positive place for safe, and natural remedies and I for one am so very grateful. Such wise and intelligent people here. God Bless!!!