Bad breath - Treatments

Mouthwashes that kill bacteria

Your breath is likely to improve if you use an anti-bacterial mouthwash twice a day.[1] [2] A mouthwash that doesn't kill bacteria is unlikely to help.

The studies we looked at found that people's breath improved after using a mouthwash for two weeks to four weeks. Just using a mouthwash once can make your breath fresher, but the benefits will only last for a few hours.[2] [3] [4] You can buy lots of different brands of anti-bacterial mouthwash from a pharmacy. Many brands have different active ingredients. The active ingredients are the chemicals that kill bacteria.

We found research to say that chemicals called cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate work for bad breath.

But there's no reason why any brand shouldn't work, as long as it kills bacteria. For example, dentists sometimes recommend mouthwashes containing hydrogen peroxide.[5]

Some commonly available brands of mouthwash (with their active ingredients) are:

• Corsodyl (chlorhexidine gluconate)
• Dentyl pH (cetylpyridinium chloride)
• Oral-B Anti-Plaque (cetylpyridinium chloride)
• Peroxyl (hydrogen peroxide).

One small study looked at people who used a mouthwash that contained chlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc lactate.[1] People who used it twice a day for two weeks had better breath.

In another study, the only mouthwash that worked contained cetylpyridinium chloride.[2] People used it twice a day for four weeks.

Three studies found that mouthwashes containing chlorine dioxide or cetylpyridinium chloride can improve your breath after just one use.[2] [3] [4] But the benefits wear off after a few hours.

Mouthwashes don't have many side effects. One study found that a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc lactate could make people's tongues discolour.[1] And some mouthwashes can make food taste strange for a while after you use them.[6]

One study found that some people who used mouthwash got a sore mouth.[2] But the researchers didn't think it was the mouthwash that caused it. If you do get a sore mouth while you're using mouthwash, you could try diluting it half and half with water.[6]

Cleaning your tongue

You can buy cleaners to try and remove bacteria from your tongue. Some of them are plastic, and you use them to scrape your tongue. Some have bristles, a bit like a toothbrush. You can even use a soft, child's toothbrush to clean your tongue. Don't scrape too hard, or you could damage the surface of your tongue.

Bacteria on your tongue can play a part in giving you bad breath. But there's no research to say whether cleaning your tongue helps.

Sugar-free chewing gum

Your breath may smell after you've eaten strong-smelling food. Lots of restaurants offer mints to freshen your breath as you're leaving. These may get rid of the smell of the food you just ate, but the sugar's not very good for your teeth. Chewing sugar-free gum may be better.

However, we don't know if sugar-free gum makes any difference if you have bad breath for any other reason. There isn't any research to tell us.

Toothpastes that contain zinc

Some toothpastes are advertised as helping to get rid of bad breath. They may contain a mineral called zinc. Zinc is important for lots of things that happen in your body, including keeping your immune system healthy. Your immune system includes all the parts of your body that fight disease. Zinc may also help to kill bacteria.

We can't say whether toothpastes that contain zinc help with bad breath. There hasn't been any research to find out.

Artificial saliva

Some people get bad breath because they don't make enough saliva. If a dry mouth is causing your bad breath, your dentist may prescribe artificial saliva.[7] This comes as a lozenge you suck, a spray or a gel. But we didn't find any research about whether artificial saliva can help with bad breath.

There are other things you can do to encourage your mouth to make more saliva. Your dentist may suggest you suck sugarless sweets and drink more fluids.

Not making enough saliva can happen as a side effect of some medicines. If you talk to your doctor, they might be able to change your dose or type of drug. This can sometimes reduce the problem.