A natural cure for bad breath? Try magnolia bark

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Nov 15th 2007 1:05PM

Bad breath is one of the worst etiquette offenders out there, and while gum helps, it sometimes only seems to cover up the problem instead of fixing it. But there's a natural way to get rid of bad breath, according to this article. Magnolia bark, a traditional Chinese treatment for ever, headache and stress, has been shown to kill 99% of bad breath-causing bacteria within 5 minutes, all without having the harmful side effects of other anti-bacterial agents.

I'm not sure where you can find this miracle cure, but don't fret--researchers are currently looking into how they can incorporate it into gums and mints that are carried at a convenience store near you.

Source

Comments (19)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Vivi 11-17-2007 @ 8:30PM

I think the best thing to do is keep your mouth shut.

Billie 11-17-2007 @ 9:16PM

Great advice, Vivi, but if you are a supervisor and have to talk to people as part of your job description, you can't just keep your mouth shut. Magnolia bark is an antioxidant, but it is also known for its anti-stress and anti-anxiety properties. I am sure all you have to do is Google it and you can find somewhere online that sells it.

EZ2PLEEZ 11-17-2007 @ 9:34PM

Thank heavens! I'll rest comfortably tonight night knowing there's a cure for my occasional halitosis.

Cindy 11-17-2007 @ 9:46PM

can it be used for dogs? they seem to have to worst.

LAURA 11-17-2007 @ 10:20PM

Well, my Mother & Father had bad breath. Now I have it and my daughter does too! Could it be that it runs in the family?
I have tried everything,parsely, orange's and more,
My Husband has the same problem and his sister..
We floss, brush 3 times a day and always have mints, gum, in my purse. I use listerine and still
nothing? I will check on the Magnolia Bark. I know its a tree with the Magnolia Flower. Maybe we have to use or boil the Bark? Then Drink it. Im just guessing? Good Luck To You All .............

Jill 11-18-2007 @ 5:52PM

the article would of been better if they could of told you where to get the magnoliabark...and I did google it,and still nothing... but my question was also, would it work on animals...thanks...

Delores Mattison 11-17-2007 @ 10:44PM

I have Bad Breath because I've had Cancer and I'm a Diebetic and nothing can stop it no matter what I use. I will try and find the Magnolia Bark, I really need it.

Carla 11-17-2007 @ 11:22PM

Seems like no one is aware of the research out there in dentistry blaming bad breath on the bacteria in your mouth ,on your tongue, in the plaque, and under your gums. There are a number of products out there for the breath and your local dental office willl have answers. However ///// Do not rule out tartar, plaque etc. along with periodontia (gum disease) for causes of bad breath. Dry mouth, smoking and peroxide which is also a drying agent are also contributing to bad breath. Bottom line, go see your dentist!! If that doesnt work investigate gastric problems like GERD and reflux with your physician. Your mouth is attached to your GI system so the dentsit and physican can not be ignored.

Susan 11-17-2007 @ 11:23PM

Laura: Try Mentadent toothpaste and MAKE SURE you brush your tongue - top and bottom. Bad breath is usually from the tongue, not the teeth.

Irish 11-18-2007 @ 12:23AM

Can you imagine what your neighbor would think if he or she caught you chewing on their magnolia tree?

Ashley Harris 11-18-2007 @ 12:31AM

I saw this product on the TV show The View and it was also in the Gift Bags at The Oscars. They offered a complimentary sample and it works great. My smile has never looked so great. Go to http://thesmilesalon.com The first time I used it people commented how beautiful my smile looked.

BBB 11-18-2007 @ 1:51AM

Actually, chronic bad breath comes from the sinuses! See you ENT....I keep telling my husband...he never goes...lol.

marc 11-18-2007 @ 2:58AM

bad breath often occurs if you don't have regular bowel movements, the stuff sits there and the smell comes up from your stomach.. so eat your fiber and keep the crap moving along and not sitting there festering...

SonOfDentist 11-18-2007 @ 4:17AM

In most cases, about 90 percent of bad breath comes from the back of your tongue. This can be eliminated by the use of a plastic tongue scraper, available for about a dollar at just about any drugstore or free from most dentists.
The kind with a jagged scraping edge works better than the smooth kind. It also helps to follow the tongue scraping with a brief tongue brushing with toothpaste just to counteract the stuff you've just scraped off.

This works very well for most people unless you do have a more serious health problem or have eaten a lot of garlic or something similar. The enzymes from garlic that make your breath smell stay in your system for about 24 hours and not too much will help with that until it's totally digested and eliminated from your system.
Hope this was helpful.

LUCILIU2 11-18-2007 @ 4:36AM

BEFORE EVERYBODY STARTS NAWING ON TREE BARK, JUST GO TO WALGREENS, CVS PHARMACY, OR BETTER YET WALMART (It's cheaper), AND BUY SOME SMART MOUTH MOUTHWASH. IT WORKS!! PERIOD!

SGN 11-18-2007 @ 4:35AM

Try the Google search - many vendors and it's not too expensive!

Brian 11-18-2007 @ 4:36AM

Well heck if Magnolia bark is going to be the wave of the future for breath control let me know. I have several trees around me and are abundent here in the N.W. I may have to start a new side line buisness gathering bark.

Stylish Swimgirl 11-18-2007 @ 6:27AM

Make sure you use dental floss to floss each tooth, and don't forget to floss behind those back teeth on the top and bottom.

You must scrape your tongue every day. A film builds up on it and simple brushing alone won't remove it. I use the flat surface of a butter knive- DO NOT use the serrated end, DO NOT use the end that you cut with. You can use a plastic butter knive, too. Make sure you scrape your tongue gently and rinse off the butter knife each time.

I also rinse my toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide, and brush my teeth with the toothpaste and hydrogen peroxide mix.

I gargle with listerine once every few days, it is so strong that I can not stand it every day.

My breath smells good because I make sure my teeth and tongue are clean.

If you have dental bridges, you have to buy bridge floss,
it looks like a loop of fishing line. You thread the dental floss into the bridge flosser, and slide it through the bridge between the teeth.

If any teeth are rotten or are rotting, the smell will be very bad. Only a dentist can drill the decayed tooth, fill it and save those teeth that are going bad.

I wonder if any old magnolia tree bark will do. I wish the article would have mentioned what type of magnolia tree that they get the magnolia bark from. I suppose I'll look it up myself.

Always brush before you go to bed. Any food left in the mouth will start to rot or break down. If youi drink or eat any sweets, the sugars will start to break down and rot the enamel on your teeth.

One of the hardest things in the world to do is to tell someone they have bad breath. It doesn't go over very well with the person you are telling it to. Sometimes people with bad breath have no idea how bad their breath is, and no one wants to be the one to tell them.

Tara 11-24-2007 @ 6:02PM

EW! I agree with #1
Stay home and try this:
http://www.fakebuddy.com

Where nobody cares if your breathe smells like rotting veggies!
http://www.fakebuddy.com
...and they donate to autism research!