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All of us have experienced a bad taste in the mouth once in a while. It is believed that 25% of people globally suffer from bad breath which can often leave a bad taste in the mouth. While poor dental hygiene is one of the most common reasons, infections, sleep, and even eating food such as garlic can leave you with a foul taste in the mouth. If the bad taste doesn’t go away in a few days, consult a doctor for further treatment. In this article, we delve deeper into some of the home remedies you can try to get rid of the bad taste in the mouth!
In This Article
What Causes A Bad Taste In Your Mouth?
A bad taste in your mouth that lasts even after you have brushed your teeth could be due to the following
causes:
Oral Causes
- Poor oral hygiene and dental problems
- Dry mouth
- Oral thrush
Related: 15 Effective Home Remedies For Oral Thrush
Infections
- Respiratory infections like sinusitis, colds, tonsillitis, etc.
- Hepatitis
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- Acid reflux
Medications And Supplements
- Dietary or vitamin supplements
- Medications like antihistamines, diabetes medicines, oral contraceptives, antibiotics, antidepressants, etc.
Cancer Treatment
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
Neurological Conditions
Conditions that affect the nerves in your brain, like:
- Brain tumors
- Dementia
- Head injury or trauma
- Epilepsy
If you often have a bad taste in your mouth, you may also experience a few of the following symptoms, depending on the underlying cause.
Signs And Symptoms
Individuals who suffer from oral problems may notice symptoms like:
- Bad breath
- Bleeding gums
- Red or swollen tissues in the mouth
- Tooth sensitivity
Other symptoms that may be prevalent in individuals who also have a bad taste in their mouth are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of taste
- Difficulty in eating
- Diarrhea
- Bad breath
These symptoms could be traced to causes like acid reflux, hepatitis, respiratory infections, or oral thrush.
Since the bad taste in your mouth can interfere with your appetite and cause nutritional deficiencies, it is best to get this condition treated immediately. To help you with the same, here are some effective home remedies.
Related: 20 Best And Effective Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Bad Breath
Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Bad Taste In The Mouth
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Oil Pulling
- Warm Salt Water
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Aloe Vera Juice
- Turmeric
- Lemon
- Green Tea
- Cinnamon
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
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You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 1 glass of warm water
What You Have To Do
- Add a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar to a glass of water.
- Mix well and add a little honey to the mixture and drink it up.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once daily.
Why This Works
Apple cider vinegar is acidic. It helps in restoring the pH balance of your mouth, promoting your oral health. This remedy also stimulates the production of saliva that helps in getting rid of the foul taste (1).
Stylecraze Says If you do not like the taste of apple cider vinegar, you may consume a few slices of vinegar-soaked pickles and gherkins to minimize the bad taste.
2. Baking Soda
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You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- Lemon juice (a few drops)
What You Have To Do
- Take a teaspoon of baking soda and add a few drops of lemon juice to it.
- Use this paste to brush your teeth daily.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this once daily.
Why This Works
The alkaline nature of baking soda can help in restoring the pH of your mouth. Its exfoliating properties can also help in getting rid of the plaque deposits on your tongue and teeth, thus helping with the foul taste or smell (2).
3. Oil Pulling
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You Will Need
1 tablespoon of coconut or sesame oil
What You Have To Do
- Take a tablespoon of coconut or sesame oil and swish it inside your mouth for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Spit the oil and go about brushing your teeth normally.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once every morning.
Why This Works
Oil pulling helps in plaque removal and addresses various oral conditions (like oral thrush, bad breath, and gingivitis) that may be causing a foul taste in your mouth (3).
Related: Are You Aware Of The 3 Major Side Effects Of Oil Pulling? Find Them Here!
4. Warm Salt Water
Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 glass of warm water
What You Have To Do
- Add a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water.
- Mix well and use this solution to rinse your mouth.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this 2 to 3 times daily.
Why This Works
Salt has natural antiseptic properties that can prevent the build-up of infectious oral bacteria. Regularly rinsing your mouth with the salt solution can help eliminate the foul taste and smell of your mouth (4).
5. Hydrogen Peroxide
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You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution
- 2 tablespoons of water
- A soft bristle brush
What You Have To Do
- Mix a tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of water.
- Dip a soft bristle brush in the hydrogen peroxide solution.
- Gently brush your tongue and the insides of your mouth with this solution.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this once daily.
Why This Works
Hydrogen peroxide is a strong antibacterial agent that combats the infectious oral pathogens that could be causing your mouth to taste weird. It provides a healthy oral environment by eliminating bad bacteria (5).
6. Aloe Vera Juice
Shutterstock
You Will Need
1 teaspoon of fresh aloe juice
What You Have To Do
- Take a teaspoon of fresh aloe vera juice and swish it in your mouth for about 5 minutes.
- Spit the juice out.
- Alternatively, you can also drink half a cup of aloe vera juice.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this twice daily.
Why This Works
Aloe vera juice has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities that heal oral infections and treat the foul taste and smell that accompany such oral problems (6).
7. Turmeric
Shutterstock
You Will Need
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- A few drops of lemon juice
What You Have To Do
- Add a few drops of lemon juice to half a teaspoon of turmeric powder.
- Apply this thick paste to your tongue and the insides of your mouth.
- Rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this once daily for about 2 weeks to see the desired effects.
Why This Works
Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful antibacterial agent that kills all the bad bacteria in your mouth, promotes oral health, and eliminates the bad taste (7).
8. Lemon
Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 lemon
- 1 glass of warm water
What You Have To Do
- Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a glass of warm water.
- Mix well and use this solution to rinse your mouth.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this once daily for at least a week to start seeing results.
Why This Works
The vitamin C in lemons restores the lost pH of your mouth. Also, the bactericidal activities of lemon can keep oral pathogens away, thus preventing further oral problems (8), (9).
Stylecraze Says Alternatively, you may squeeze the juice of other citrus fruits like oranges and limes or just add a few slices of the fruits to make infused water and sip throughout the day.
9. Green Tea
Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon of green tea
- 1 cup of water
- Honey (optional)
What You Have To Do
- Add a teaspoon of green tea to a cup of water.
- Bring it to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Strain and allow the tea to cool down for some time.
- Add a little honey to the tea and consume immediately.
How Often You Should Do This
You must drink green tea at least twice daily to avail all its benefits.
Why This Works
Green tea is a great remedy for oral infections. Along with promoting oral health, green tea can also help eliminate the bad taste and foul smell in your mouth (10).
10. Cinnamon
Shutterstock
You Will Need
- ½ tablespoon of cinnamon powder
- ½ lemon
- 1 glass of warm water
What You Have To Do
- Add half a tablespoon of cinnamon powder and the juice of half a lemon to a glass of warm water.
- Mix well and use this solution to rinse your mouth at regular intervals.
- Alternatively, you can also use a drop or two of cinnamon essential oil instead of cinnamon powder.
How Often You Should Do This
You must do this 2 to 3 times daily.
Why This Works
Cinnamon is yet another remedy that can help eliminate the bad taste in your mouth, owing to its antibacterial properties. It can easily combat oral infections and promote your overall oral health by eliminating oral pathogens (11).
Your diet choices have a significant role to play in your health and well-being. They are also critical to help you overcome the bad taste in your mouth. Hence, you must take the following diet tips into consideration in addition to following these home remedies.
What To Eat To Get Rid Of Bad Taste In The Mouth
Those who have a bad taste in their mouth usually have a low sense of taste and may be intolerant to certain foods. Some foods that can be tolerated by affected individuals are:
- Fresh fruit juices (orange or lemon)
- Eggs, fish, peanut butter, beans, and dairy products like yogurt and ice cream
- Hard candies
The affected individuals must stay away from spicy, sugary, and oily foods.
To prevent the recurrence of a bad taste in your mouth, follow the tips mentioned below.
Prevention Tips
- Brush and floss daily.
- Use a mouthwash to rinse your mouth regularly.
- Chew on sugar-free gum to encourage the production of saliva.
- Drink enough water and keep yourself hydrated.
- Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine.
- Quit smoking tobacco.
Infographic: Types Of Taste Disorders
Factors like poor dental hygiene, infections, disorders, and medications can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Using natural ingredients like lemon, aloe vera, or cinnamon can reduce oral infections and the foul taste in your mouth. However, a bad taste in the mouth may also indicate an underlying condition and affect your sense of taste at various levels. Check out the infographic below to understand the different types of taste disorders.
Poor oral hygiene is the primary cause of bad taste in the mouth. Infections, overeating garlic, and excess sleep may also trigger bad taste. But certain home remedies help manage this condition. Using apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, lemon, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, oil pulling, aloe vera juice, warm salt water, turmeric, and green tea effectively reduces the bad taste. Additionally, you can prevent this phenomenon by brushing and flossing daily, chewing sugar-free gum, hydrating adequately, quitting smoking, and limiting the intake of alcohol and caffeine.
