11 Things That Can Freshen Even The Stinkiest Breath, According To Reviews And Dentists

These mouthwashes, tongue scrapers and other products really get to the root of the problem.

Whether you’ve woken up with a sour mouth, had post-lunch onion breath or experienced something a bit more persistent, bad breath has most likely found us all. Even in cases where breath is particularly foul-smelling, oral care experts that we spoke to assured us that over-the-counter solutions exist, even when you’ve given up hope.

St. Louis, Missouri-based board-certified orthodontist Dr. Erin Fraundorf said that while there are many causes of bad breath, the main one is an individual’s oral microflora (also referred to as the bacteria makeup in your mouth), specifically on the back of the tongue.

“Bacteria consume the food particles left in our mouths and excrete waste in the form of volatile sulfur compounds. These compounds are the actual odor emitting particles that you smell as bad breath,” she said.

And while it may seem like adhering to a good oral hygiene routine (Fraundorf suggests following the American Dental Association’s guidance on home oral care) may be the obvious solution to treating bad breath, Fraundorf said it’s also the types of products you use that can help address the root causes of stinky breath.

To find out these exact helpful products that Fraundorf and other experts recommend, plus the item suggestions of reviewers with bad breath, keep reading. But, before you do, Fraundorf cautions that if the smell is especially foul and long lasting, it could be indicative of an underlying medical diagnosis and you should speak to your oral care provider.