If you are avoiding onions and garlic from your favorite foods due to the fear of bad breath, you need to think again. Apart from garlic and onion, there are other foods too that can lead to foul breath. But, fortunately, there are also some other foods that act as natural remedies for bad breath. Foods are not the sole cause for bad breath; microbes and bacteria are causes too.

So, you must fight those foul-smelling microbes and bacteria to eliminate bad breath as well as to maintain good oral hygiene. Some of the foods that can prevent bad breath and help to maintain good oral hygiene are discussed below:

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables can help you fight against many types of diseases, but they also help tackle bad breath effectively. Fresh fruits and vegetables are considered to be an effective natural remedy for bad breath, with several other benefits. Fruits and vegetables like cucumber, celery, apples, and pears can work in two ways to prevent bad breath. First is by rinsing those foul-smelling bacteria and second is by helping to produce more saliva that can help you to get rid of foul-smelling bacteria.

2. Basil and parsley
Basil and parsley are effective herbs that contain adequate antioxidants that help break down foul-smelling microbes and bacteria. If you are avoiding garlic from your favorite meal for this reason, then you can try basil or parsley along with it to eliminate bad breath.

3. Green tea
Though it is not a food, for its values, it can be used along with food to combat bad breath. Green tea is the richest source of antioxidants. It also helps reduce the growth of foul-smelling bacteria in your mouth, thus maintaining perfect oral hygiene.

4. Black tea
Black tea is considered to be an effective natural remedy for bad breath due to its polyphenol compounds. Black tea prevents the growth of malodorous bacteria and also decreases the production of by-products produced by those bacteria and microbes. It is also not desirable to have too much tea in a day as it can cause dry mouth, which is another reason for bad breath. Black tea is reported to prevent tooth decay too.

5. Sugarless mint gums
Sugarless gums not only prevent the malodor but increase the production of saliva in your mouth to wash all foul-smelling bacteria. They help by loosening leftover foods and the dead cells in your mouth that cause a foul smell.

6. Avoid having a dry mouth
Dry mouth is another alarming reason for bad breath that is generally overlooked. Water is considered to be one of the readily available natural remedies for bad breath   that helps by washing out leftover food particles from your mouth. Intake of an adequate amount of water can increase saliva production in your mouth, which can prevent you from having a dry mouth.

Food remedies are only temporary solutions for bad breath, and practicing good oral hygiene is a permanent solution to getting rid of malodor.