Cardamom may help bad breath, but is no cure

As the holidays approach, there are many ways to integrate cardamom and other herbs and spices into your diet, potentially muting your bad breath. Organic Authority, an online resource for naturally grown foods, recommends adding cardamom to mulled cider in order to keep halitosis at bay.

Certain spices do have properties that fight the causes of bad breath, as well as its many odors. Cardamom contains cineol, which acts as an antiseptic and may reduce gum inflammation, according to television personality Dr. Oz.

Similarly, chewing cinnamon or adding it to drinks may reduce mouth odor. Like cardamom, cinnamon is a natural antiseptic. Introduced into the oral environment, cinnamon may kill many of the bacteria responsible for halitosis. Cloves are also a mild antibacterial agent. By reducing the amount of anaerobic bacteria in your mouth, you may be able to prevent the sulfur-based odors that they cause.

However, there is no substitute for good hygiene. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly will remove food particles from your mouth, reducing the food supply oral bacteria need to sustain themselves. Chewing or ingesting herbs will ultimately give bacteria a meal when they begin to multiply again.

Besides brushing, using a specialty breath freshener, like a mouth rinse, may moisten the palate and neutralize the compounds that give bad breath its odor.