Are you battling bad breath? Worry no more! Mixing up some common kitchen ingredients is all you need to do to create a quick remedy for bad breath.
The problem can be caused by an increase in odor-causing bacteria in the mouth due to a decrease in saliva or some sort of stomach problem. However, the most common reason is eating foods like raw onion or garlic.
A good mouth freshener can alleviate this problem anytime.
While it is easy to just buy one from the market, the high prices for small quantities are ridiculous.
You can prepare your own homemade mouth freshener with your kitchen ingredients at your disposal. Plus, making one yourself at home offers the following benefits:
- It’s inexpensive: With all the kitchen ingredients put to use, your homemade mouth freshener will not be more than a fraction of the cost of commercial products.
- No preservatives or chemicals: Preparing a mouth freshener at home rids you of all the artificial sweeteners, preservatives, dyes and other chemicals in commercial products.
- You get to choose your own ingredients: A homemade mouth freshener allows you to experiment. You can choose from among your favorite quality ingredients and come up with a few effective mixtures that you like the most.
So, spend a little time this Sunday and treat yourself to a homemade mouth freshener.
Here are some of the ingredients you can use:
Cardamom: Strong and unique in taste, cardamom (also known as choti elaichi) has an intense aroma that helps fend off any foul odor from the mouth. Also, it aids in digestion and relieves problems like bloating and flatulence.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon, also called dalchini, inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. It also warms and stimulates the digestive system. Plus, it acts as a natural food preservative to prevent food spoilage, so it will help increase the shelf life of your homemade mouth freshener.
Clove: Cloves, also called laung, have strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that help heal and fight infections in the mouth.
Roasted coriander seeds: Also called dhania dal, this nutty and warm spice imparts a deep and intense flavor to the mouth freshener.
Fennel: Highly aromatic and flavorful, fennel seeds contain anethole that has excellent antimicrobial properties against bacteria, fungi and yeast. Plus, fennel, also referred to as saunf, has a nice sweet flavor and keeps your mouth feeling fresh after a meal.
Dried ginger powder: Dried ginger, also called sonth, possesses antibacterial properties that kill odor-causing bacteria in the mouth. Also, it stimulates the production of saliva in the mouth, which helps naturally wash away bacteria.
Flaxseeds: Also known as alsi, these little seeds leave a long-lasting flavor nutty flavor and work wonders in beating bad breath.
Melon seeds: Also known as magaz, musk melon seeds are good for digestion. Plus, they have a sweet and nutty flavor.
Carom and white sesame seeds: Tiny aromatic seeds, these are exceptionally good for the stomach and digestion.
As these ingredients help relieve bad breath as well as aid in digestion, this recipe does not merely work as a mouth freshener but also as an effective digestive aid that you can enjoy post meals.
DIY Mouth Freshener-cum-Digestive Aid
Things you’ll need:
- Fennel seeds – ¼ cup
- Coriander seeds – ¼ cup
- White sesame seeds – ¼ cup
- Dried ginger powder – 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon powder – 1 teaspoon
- Clove powder – ½ teaspoon
- Cardamom seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Carom seeds – 1 tablespoon
- Dried coconut shreds – as per your taste
- Flaxseeds – 1 tablespoon
- Melon seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Sugar candy (also called misri) – as per your taste
Steps
1. Dry roast fennel seeds in a skillet on low heat for 5 minutes and set aside.
2. Dry roast coriander seeds for 3 to 4 minutes and add them to the roasted fennel seeds.
3. Dry roast white sesame seeds for 5 minutes and fuse in the mixture.
4. Dry roast melon seeds and blend into the mixture.
5. Next, dry roast coconut shreds on low heat until golden brown and add to the mixture.
6. Dry roast flaxseeds on low heat for 6 to 7 minutes or until they start spluttering, then add them.
7. Dry roast carom seeds for 3 to 4 minutes and add to the mixture.
8. Mix all the ingredients together.
9. Blend in cardamom seeds.
10. Add dried ginger powder.
11. Add clove.
12. Add cinnamon powder and mix the ingredients.
13. Mix in the sugar candy.
You can store your homemade mouth freshener in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Keep the container in a cool, dry place.
Consume 1 or 2 teaspoons after meals or anytime you want to freshen your mouth.
Additional Tips:
- Always roast the ingredients on low heat. Roasting on high heat may turn them sour.
- Always store the mouth freshener in an airtight container to prevent moisture from seeping in and altering the ingredients.
- Avoid sulfide-rich foods like garlic, onion and ginger at night, or when you expect to have close encounters with others as when dating your love.
- Avoid protein-rich food at night, as anaerobic bacteria are known to thrive at night on the protein leftover in the mouth.
Thanks for your recipes.
Regards
M.Sulaiman