Garlic breath can be quite a pickle, no matter where you are or what you are doing. Whether you have a presentation in a small room, are on that first date that you think might end in a kiss, or you just cannot fathom spending the rest of the night tasting that deliciously garlicky spaghetti sauce you made, you need a solution, and fast! So, how can you get rid of garlic breath quickly?
At Supersmile, we’re all about helping you get the oral wellness you deserve, and that includes fresh breath, too! So, here are some of our top tips that will help you to get that fresh breath feeling (and smell) once again, even if you’re on-the-go or unprepared.
Mix & Match for Best Results!
Depending on how garlicky your breath is, you may want to mix and match some of the below tips and tricks for the best results. By taking advantage of a few of these suggestions simultaneously, you will be eliminating various aspects of the garlic and hopefully keeping it away for a longer period of time.
Even so, there is simply nothing better than brushing and flossing your teeth and gargling as soon as you can.
Brush Your Teeth
Of course, it may seem simple, but brush your teeth and brush them well.
You want to ensure that you get in between your teeth, you remove the plaque, and you get rid of all the food bits that may be smelling up your mouth. Even a small bit of food can keep that garlic smelling strong.
Use a soft bristle brush that will get between your teeth, scrub well around braces if you have ‘em, and use small circles to get the best results. Brush for at least two minutes, or maybe even a little longer if you think that garlicy smell is still lingering -- just don’t brush too hard!
Get A Good Floss In
The crevices can be the culprits. Garlic and other food particles tend to hang out in your mouth and around the tooth line, which is sometimes hard to get with traditional brushing.
Use a good dental floss that will grab the plaque and particles and remove them quickly from your mouth.
One good tip is to floss before you brush, because sometimes the particles will fall off of the tape and stay in your mouth. By flossing first, you remove those particles and allow the toothpaste to do its job in removing the smell. It’s a tag team effort that your date will thank you for later.
Use Mouthwash
Need a quick fix? Probably the fastest way to eliminate your garlic breath is to use a strong mouthwash.
This will help to get in between teeth and flush out any remaining food particles. Swish it around for at least 30 seconds, if not longer, to really allow it to work its charm in your mouth.
Don’t be afraid to use two mouthfuls of the wash, either. Gargle it as far back as you can into the throat, so it really coats your tongue and gets to where you may not even be able to reach with a scraper.
Scrape Your Tongue
Consider scraping your tongue.
There is a ton of bacteria that hangs out in the small pockets of your mouth. The stink will stay in those pockets for as long as you allow it to, so scrape from back to front and go back as far as you can.
If you combine these three steps and do a complete cleaning of your mouth, you are going to eliminate that garlic breath. While this may seem like a lot of time, it shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to completely clean your mouth.
Try On-The-Go Brushes
If you don’t have access to a bathroom or your toothpaste, consider buying on-the-go toothbrushes and flossers that you keep in your bag.
They aren’t as effective as your traditional toothbrush, but they can help you quite a bit when you are in a bind. Take that, garlic breath!
Try Eating Fresh Produce
So, what happens if you don’t have access to a bathroom, and you don’t have access to any of these oral freshness products?
The first thing you can try is eating fresh produce that will clear some of the bacteria and neutralize the smell in your mouth.
Some of the best produce you can eat includes apples, strawberries, pears, mangos, carrots, cucumbers, or anything else that has a strong flavor that will really stick in your mouth.
Now, obviously, this is only a temporary solution. You can buy yourself some time, but eventually, garlic seems to find a way to come back to the forefront of your mouth.
Chew Gum or Mints
One of the most obvious solutions is to use gum or mints to help mask the taste of garlic.
You can choose gum of any mint flavor or even cinnamon, which may actually work a bit better than some of the other options you have. Try to choose a piece of sugar-free gum, as that will protect your teeth from any damage as well as freshen your breath.
Again, this is a step that is only going to mask the scent for a limited amount of time. You can keep replacing the gum or mints to keep up with it, but eventually, you will need to try something a little more thorough.
Take A Drink of Water
Water is the answer to so many problems, isn’t it?
When you’re stuck between a rock and garlic breath, take a big drink of water to help rinse some of the food and bacteria out of your mouth. The water can be any temperature, and you may even want to swish it around and rinse if you can.
For even better results, add lemon or lime to your water or crush up some mint leaves to help mask the smell as well as remove as much food debris as possible.
Another great trick, even though it may not taste so great, is to add a little bit of apple cider vinegar into your water. You don’t want to just drink down ACV because it can burn your stomach and actually do some pretty serious damage to your mouth, but a little dab can help.
Chew on Mint Leaves
If you can get them, chewing on mint leaves can really be a lifesaver when it comes to a bad breath emergency.
This is a great choice if you want to get a stronger flavor quickly, and you don’t want to be chewing gum for a long period of time. You can also replace the mint leaves as needed.
Once again, you may want to try a small bit of mint before you chew on a whole leaf. We all have different tolerances of the mint flavor, and if you’re new to mint, you may not respond well to the entire leaf.
Drink Milk
Another great option that you can try is to drink milk. Milk has a way of clinging in the mouth and will actually neutralize some of the taste and remove it from your mouth.
Then you may have to worry about the taste and feel of milk in your mouth, but it still works.
If you don’t like the taste of dairy milk, some alternatives will work like oat milk or almond milk, but they may not be quite as effective.
Don’t Use the Middle of The Garlic When Cooking
If you want to prevent the taste of garlic from clinging to your mouth and sticking around longer than you like it, you can actually prevent it from happening at all by cooking with only the “bulb” part of the garlic.
When you go to peel and dice the garlic, remove that inner core, which is going to have the most potent flavor.
If you are using garlic powder, try to add it in the middle of cooking, as that will eliminate some of the “clinging” feeling that garlic can have.
In Conclusion
Plain and simple, no one likes garlic breath. However, garlic is one of those spices that no one wants to eliminate because it’s a great spice to cook with, enhances flavors, and some types of food just doesn’t taste right without it.
But luckily, whether you are making your favorite Italian dish for a first date or you ate something with a little more garlic than you expected at lunch, these are some pretty quick and easy things you can do to freshen your breath right away.
So, smile through the smell, and do your best to get your breath back to minty freshness!
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/home-remedies-for-bad-breath
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/bad-breath-what-causes-it-and-what-to-do-about-it-2019012115803
https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/h/halitosis
