When I have bad breath

My story

It’s not pleasant at all, but sometimes I have bad breath. I hope it doesn’t happen too often. We notice bad breath in others, but it’s hard to notice it at home. And unfortunately our “friends” don’t always dare tell us… Even if the origin of bad breath is most often oral, in my case it’s digestive. I now know more or less what causes it, and I try to avoid “at-risk” situations
“or prevent them, but it’s not always possible. When I drink red wine, eat a meal that’s too fatty, in times of stress, I feel (no pun intended) heavy, whether in my stomach, in my mouth, which becomes pasty, or probably in my breath. So, as for all things digestive, I turn to hydrolats!

My tip

To be sure of your breath, it’s important to brush your teeth regularly. And tongue. I find tongue brushing very unpleasant, especially at the root, but I force myself to do it at least twice a week. I also do a mouthwash with laurel hydrolate in the evening, after brushing my teeth. And an annual check-up at the dentist allows me to treat dental problems if necessary and avoid bacterial proliferation, the source of unpleasant odours.
Independently of that, whenever I’m told I have bad breath, I use dill hydrosol. In this case, I take one or two tablespoons, pure or diluted in a little water. I repeat several times during the day. And since prevention is better than cure, I take the initiative whenever possible. In anticipation of a big meal, I drink water flavored with dill hydrosol the day before. It stimulates the digestive juices in advance, optimizing the various stages of digestion. This reduces the risk of bad breath.

What does phytotherapy say?

The cause of bad breath, or halitosis, is often oral or ENT (infection or dental plaque, angina, colds) or digestive (stomach or liver problems). Anti-infectious plants such as laurel, thyme and savory can be used as mouthwashes or gargles for anything localized in the mouth and throat. A wide variety of plants can also be used for digestive problems (basil, angelica, dill, spearmint). Dill is particularly interesting for its cholagogue and choleretic properties (stimulating the synthesis and excretion of bile). Dill hydrosol contains 75% carvone, a powerful antispasmodic molecule that promotes the secretion of bile by the liver and its release into the intestine. Bile dissolves fats, promoting lipid digestion. Dill hydrosol, by facilitating all digestive functions, is highly effective in combating bad breath.

Did you know?

Like our hands, the carvone molecule exists in two forms, a right and a left,
called chiral, have an identical chemical composition (hence comparable properties) but a different odour One of the two forms of carvone is found in dill, the other in spearmint, both of which are digestive but have a totally different odour

I use hydrolats SAFELY

The suggested tip does not imply any particular contraindication, even over a prolonged period; it’s a classic food use.

ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS Dill

Native to Asia Minor, dill is an annual herbaceous plant that grows spontaneously in Mediterranean regions. It is an undemanding umbellifer that likes sunny, arid soil. Dill, which can reach 1 m to 1.5 m in height, has light foliage that can be mistaken for fennel. It produces large umbels of yellow flowers with a sweet, aniseed fragrance. Historically, dill has been widely used in cooking to preserve food freshness
freshness. It was already known in antiquity to treat digestive disorders.