Homemade Cinnamon Mouthwash for Bad Breath

Why cinnamon: Unlike mint, which tends to just mask the smell of bad breath, cinnamon actually gets rid of the odor by killing off odor-causing bacteria. The International Association for Dental Research found that people who chewed cinnamon gum had a 50% decrease in oral bacteria versus people who chewed mint.

Why honey: Honey makes everything taste better, but it also has antibacterial properties. If possible, get Manuka honey. Manuka honey is from New Zealand, and contains 127 times the amount of methylglyoxa, which is the antimicrobial agent that kills off bacteria, than acacia honey (the regular sweet stuff you usually see.) Always try to get organic raw honey.

Why lemon juice: Lemon has a strong refreshing citrus scent that can help with nasty cases of bad breath.

Why baking soda: Baking soda wipes out nasty things (like bad bacteria) and has been shown to help whiten teeth.

You will need… -2 lemons -1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon -1/2 teaspoon-1 teaspoon baking soda -1 ½ teaspoons of honey -1 cup of warm water -A bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid

Put ½ tablespoon of cinnamon into a bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid, and add the juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons along with 1 ½ teaspoons of honey. If you’d like you can also add in 1/2-1 teaspoon of baking soda and omit the honey, or use both. 

Pour 1 cup of very warm water (needed to melt the honey) into the jar, and stir well. When you need to freshen up your breath, give it a quick shake and swish/gargle 1-2 tablespoons for 1 minute.