What causes garlic breath and how to get rid of garlic breath
Chefs and health-conscious people around the world love garlic. It adds a unique flavor and aroma to any meal, and it is also good for the heart and loaded with antioxidants. Unfortunately, the sulfuric compounds that give garlic its health benefits and taste also give people an unpleasant odor known as “garlic breath.” In this article, we will cover why garlic makes your breath smell and how to get rid of garlic breath.
Why does garlic make your breath smell
Garlic and other members of the allium plant family (onions, shallots, leeks) produce cysteine sulfoxide, which gives them their distinct odor and taste. These sulfuric compounds are very similar to the ones produced by the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath.
There are two ways that garlic makes your breath smell bad. The first is that when you eat garlic, the sulfuric compounds get into your mouth and immediately give you garlic breath. These odorous compounds remain in the mouth until they are brushed, flossed, scraped, or flushed out.
The second way garlic affects your breath is through your lungs. In an interesting study (link to the study) done in 1936, two doctors fed garlic soup to a patient who suffered from cancer of the esophagus. Because of the cancer, the patient was fed through a tube that entered the stomach through the abdominal wall, completely bypassing the mouth. The doctors noticed that although the garlic did not enter the patient’s mouth, they still detected garlic on his breath three hours later. This old study supports other studies that have been carried out more recently.
The compound that makes the breath coming from your lungs smell like garlic is allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). AMS is a gas that is absorbed into the blood during the metabolism of garlic. From the blood, it is transferred to the lungs, where it is then exhaled. Some of this AMS is even excreted through the pores of the skin. This is why garlic breath is so hard to get rid of at times. No matter how much you clean and brush your mouth, the garlic odor will still be in the air you exhale, because it comes from the lungs.
How to get rid of garlic breath
The best way to get rid of garlic breath is to stop eating it; this is the only way to completely eliminate it. It can also be difficult to know whether you have garlic breath or how bad it really is. If removing garlic from your diet is not an option, here are some remedies for garlic breath. Please note that although you may neutralize the garlic compounds in your mouth, the sulfuric compounds will still be exhaled from your lungs, making your breath smell like garlic anyway. The effectiveness of these remedies is therefore debatable, but at least they will lower the smell of garlic that comes from your mouth and reduce the overall garlic smell on your breath.
Remedies for garlic breath
The single most effective way to get rid of garlic breath is the mechanical removal of the garlic particles and volatile sulfur compounds in your mouth. You do this by brushing and flossing your teeth, using a tongue scraper, and swishing and gargling mouthwash. Using a tongue scraper is a very important step in removing the sulfuric compounds from your tongue. The following remedies are additional things you can do before or after brushing, flossing, and scraping, but they should not replace the mechanical removal of the garlic particles. They are only meant to cover up or neutralize the garlic compounds before or after you brush, floss, and scrape. If you try these remedies alone, without removing the garlic particles, you will do little to get rid of your garlic breath, and it will return shortly.
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WaterPik - Using a WaterPik is effective at removing the garlic compounds on and between your teeth. You can also use the oral irrigator attachment to flush water into the back of your mouth to remove any particles lingering there.
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Parsley - Many recipes that use garlic also use parsley, because parsley is effective at neutralizing the odors of garlic. Try chewing on parsley after eating garlic.
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Cardamom, mint, fennel, cloves, anise seeds - These seeds and herbs are similar to parsley in that they help neutralize or mask the garlic odor.
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Lemon - Lemon is very effective at neutralizing the garlic odor, and it also has antibacterial properties that kill bacteria. Try sucking on a lemon wedge after eating garlic. Washing your hands with lemon juice also helps remove the odor from your hands.
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Drink tea - Tea, especially green and peppermint, contains polyphenols that reduce the volatile sulfur compounds the garlic produces. Drink tea while or after eating garlic.
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Chew sugar-free gum - This will help to mask the odor of the garlic and will help dislodge garlic and food particles that might be stuck on or between your teeth.
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Drink milk - A study done in 2010 showed that drinking milk helped reduce the odor of garlic on one’s breath. It is theorized that the fat content in milk helps neutralize the odors. Whole milk was more effective than skim milk, and it works best when the garlic is mixed with the milk (gross!) rather than when you drink the milk afterward.
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Chew coffee beans - Various people have reported that chewing coffee beans or grounds for a bit and then spitting them out helps reduce garlic breath.
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Switch to odorless garlic supplements - If you eat garlic because of its health benefits, consider switching to odorless garlic supplements.
Also, do not neglect your other oral health care while trying to get rid of garlic breath. Read our article on How To Get Rid of Bad Breath for an overview of a basic oral care routine that will help you keep your breath fresh.
Hopefully these tips will help you get rid of garlic breath, or at least reduce it. If you have any other tips, please share them below. Thanks!