| Target your tongue. Tongue scraping isn't all | | | | Indian restaurants keep a bowl of fennel |
| that common in Western oral hygiene. But | | | | seeds by the door. Ayurvedic physicians often |
| Ayurvedic physicians have been recommending | | | | recommend chewing a pinch of fennel seeds |
| it for centuries. "It's very helpful, but few | | | | after eating to freshen the breath. |
| people do it;" Dr. Brauer says. | | | | |
| | | | Naturopathy |
| Tongue scrapers are hard to come by. If you | | | | |
| don't have a tongue scraper, Dr. Brauer | | | | Discover the digestion connection. |
| recommends using your toothbrush. You have to | | | | Naturopaths such as Joseph Pizzomo Jr., N.D., |
| brush the very back of your tongue, which may | | | | believe that poor digestion contributes to |
| cause gagging. "But with a little practice, | | | | bad breath. Dr. Pizzomo's advice: Keep your |
| you can overcome your gag reflex," he says. | | | | digestive system functioning smoothly by |
| | | | eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet with plenty |
| Disinfect dentures. If you wear removable | | | | of grains, fruits, and vegetables. |
| dentures or any other dental appliance, clean | | | | |
| it daily and soak it in a commercial denture | | | | Medical Measures |
| cleanser overnight. | | | | |
| | | | For bad breath, the most effective |
| Chew gum. Chewing gum gets your saliva | | | | mouthÂwash is a prescription product |
| flowing, which helps eliminate bad breath. | | | | called Peridex, which contains the |
| Any ordinary gum will do-it needn't have | | | | antibacterial antiseptic chlorhexidine. In |
| special breath-freshening ingredients, Dr. | | | | one study, 6 months of regular rinsing with |
| Simons says. | | | | Peridex reduced oral bacteria by more than 50 |
| | | | percent. Dr. Replogle recommends rinsing for |
| Banish those butts. If you need another | | | | 30 seconds twice a day after brushing. |
| reason to give up smoking, here it is: | | | | |
| Tobacco causes bad breath. | | | | Some people get stains on their teeth when |
| | | | using chlorhexidine, but any stains can be |
| Other Good Choices | | | | removed by professional cleaning. Also, |
| | | | chlorhexidine may impair the sense of taste. |
| Chinese Medicine | | | | If this happens to you, consult your dentist. |
| | | | He may suggest that you use the mouthwash a |
| Turn down the Heat. In Chinese medicine, bad | | | | few times a week rather than daily. |
| breath results from excessive Heat in the | | | | |
| Stomach. For treatment, Efrem KornÂgold, | | | | Red Flags |
| a.M.D., L.Ac., recommends consuming "cooling" | | | | |
| foods such as cucumber, peppermint tea, and | | | | If you suddenly develop persistent bad breath |
| tomatoes. He also suggests avoiding "hot" | | | | and it doesn't clear up after a few weeks of |
| foods such as coffee, alcohol, and spicy | | | | aggressive home treatment and professional |
| dishes. | | | | teeth cleaning, consult a physician. A number |
| | | | of potentially serious conditions have bad |
| Ayuredic Medicine | | | | breath as a symptom, including diabetes, |
| | | | kidney failure, lupus, liver and gallbladder |
| Nibble on fennel. Instead of mints, many | | | | disorders, and certain cancers. |