Everyone suffers from bad breath, after a heavy meal or after smoking or any other activity. There are many underlying reasons why one could have bad breath. One of the worst culinary culprits is the onion, particularly when eaten raw. Let’s check out the different ways for how to get rid of onion breath.
Did You Know?
| Peppermint or rosemary oil help get rid of bad breath. |
Causes Of Onion Breath
When smashed or cut, the onion mingles with gas-emitting bacteria causing that pungent sulfurous smell. Onion can continue creating bad breath for hours after eating. Its by-product is absorbed into the system and carried to the lungs, giving you that annoying breath an encore.
7 Natural and Alternative Remedies for Onion Breath
1. Drink Milk
Why Does it Work?
Milk significantly cuts down concentrations of odorous compounds released by onions.
How to Use
You only need to gulp down one or a few glasses of milk one or two hours after an onion meal to counter the bad breath and avoid embarrassment. It is wiser to take whole milk than fat-free milk, as whole milk tends to deodorize the smelly compounds more efficiently than fat- free milk.
How much to Use
Depending on how much you love milk, a glass or two can go a long way, but you are not limited. Milk is quite healthy to consume. So, don’t limit yourself. It’s not a dose.
[Read: Get Rid of Garlic Breath]
2. Lemon
Why Does it Work?
Lemon contains high levels of citric acid that helps neutralize the odor coming from your mouth. It also contains antibacterial properties that kill the bacteria contributing to bad breath.
How to Use
You simply need to take squeeze a fresh lemon and extract a spoonful of the juice. Add it in a glass of water and mix well and rinse your mouth using the solution.
How much to Use
Lemon is another safe ingredient to use. You need to rinse your mouth with the solution two or three times until the smell goes away.
3. Baking Soda
Why Does it Work?
Baking soda(1) controls the pH balance in the mouth to inhibit the growth of bacteria. It is a common home remedy that is available in almost all homes and can come in handy to neutralize onion breath.
How to Use
Take one teaspoonful of baking soda and add it in warm salty water. Stir well and use the solution to swish around your mouth.
How much to Use
This solution is harmless; therefore, you can use it several times to get rid of the onion breath. However, to get rid of the smell, you could use it twice a day to kill the smell of the onion.
[Read: Benefits of Baking Soda]
4. Essential Oils
Why Does it Work?
Essential oils are another great way of eliminating bad onion breath. They do not just freshen your breath, but also contain some antibacterial properties. Oils such as rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptol, and myrrh, all have proven benefits for getting rid of onion breath.
How to Use
Mix a teaspoon of carrier oil—oils like olive, coconut or sweet almond—with a drop of essential oil and consume it. They will help remove odor, food particles as well as the bacteria causing bad breath.
How much to Use
One teaspoon of carrier oil and a single drop of peppermint oil does an excellent job. If the smell doesn’t go away, you can take the oils again after a few hours. It is strongly recommended that you check that these essential oils are the edible variety.
[Read: Get Rid of Bad Breath Naturally]
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
Why Does it Work?
The apple cider vinegar, unlike other remedies, works in reverse. That is because this common food ingredient supports the growth of food bacteria. Taking it before eating onion will help flush out the onion properties in your system. It also helps indigestion.
How to Use
You will need to take one or two tablespoonfuls of the apple cider vinegar and mix it in a glass of water. Mix it and drink before taking your meal of raw onion.
How much to Use
Depending on how you tolerate vinegar, you can use one or two tablespoons. If the smell is still there after eating, you can take a very diluted solution and swish it in your mouth like a mouth rinse.
6. Parsley
Why Does it Work?
Parsley(2) is one of the most common culinary ingredients in most homes. Its fresh scent helps enrich food and salad flavors. This clean, pleasant scent helps mask the unwanted onion odor as it has a cleansing effect that helps keep your mouth clean and odor-free.
How to Use
Take a few fresh parsley and chew. You can mix with some tomatoes and a little salt to make it like a salad, and consume the whole bowl. The results are amazing.
How much to Use
A half palm is enough to do the magic. Parsley is a healthy vegetable; feel free to use as much as you can.
[Read: Stupendous Parsley Benefits]
7. Mustard Sauce
Why Does it Work?
Mustard is a standard and straightforward way of getting rid of onion breath. The sauce works magically by simply overtaking and masking the onion smell. Mustard is available in most homes and, therefore, can be a lifesaver, especially when eating out.
How to Use
Put a teaspoonful of mustard sauce in your mouth and swish it around your mouth for one or two minutes and then spit out. Take another teaspoon and swallow, and then rinse your mouth with lots of water. You can repeat as much as needed.
How much to Use
One teaspoon for gargling and another teaspoon for swallowing. You can rinse your mouth with as much water as possible. It is recommended to repeat the remedy until the onion breath disappears
| Surprisingly, even sugar helps deal with bad breath, as it absorbs the bad breath naturally inside the mouth. Let the sugar linger in your mouth and hurray! No more bad breath! |
While the unpleasant smell caused by onion doesn’t last long, it can be embarrassing and annoying, primarily in public. Fortunately, there is a myriad of ways to keep the smell at bay or get rid of it altogether. However, simple home ingredients and common home remedies like lemon, parsley, apple cider vinegar, milk, baking soda, mustard sauce, and essential oils are excellent and economical ways of ensuring that you have that fresh breath all the time
[Read: Home Remedies for Bad Breath]
FAQs
1. Do cooked onions cause bad breath?
Research has shown that cooking onions actually cuts down the smell causing properties.
2. How Long Does Onion Breath Last?
Depending on the amount, onion breath can last from a few minutes or even over 24 hours. This also depends on the individual.
3. Can eating raw lettuce eliminate Onion breath?
Fresh fruit and raw vegetables after meals help eliminate bad breath. Raw apples and lettuce significantly reduce onion breath.
