THE BREATH Foul breath is most often caused by decayed teeth, inflammation of the gums, or neglect to use the tooth brush. It may also be caused by ca tarrh or various diseases of the throat and stomach or other internal organs.
Substances recommended for puri fying the breath are essence of cam phor, chloride of lime, tincture of myrrh, chloride of soda, chloride of potash, carbolic acid, and various substances designed to heal and strengthen diseased gums. In addi tion, various perfumes are made up into pastilles to perfume the breath, but these are rarely effective in over coming foul breath, are in themselves offensive to many, and their use may be obviated by suitable means to re move the cause.
One of the most effective remedies for foul breath IS a mouth wash com posed of a teaspoonful of concen trated solution of chldride of soda in a tumbler of water. This should be used as a gargle and also forced back and forth between the teeth. Or, if foul breath is caused by stom ach troubles, take 8 drops of the so lution of chloride of soda in half a tumbler of soft water before break fast.
Or dilute a small quantity of bro mochloralum with ten times its own bulk in water and use as a gargle.
Or mix 20 drops of carbolic acid, 2 drams of alcohol, 6 ounces of salt water. Apply by moistening the toothbrush and afterwards dipping it into any good tooth powder. Rinse well with salt and water or other mouth wash.
Or use any good mouth wash con taining chloride of potash, tannin or tannic acid, myrrh or Peruvian bark. All of these are good for the gums and tend to prevent foul breath and like conditions.
Or chlorine water obtained from a druggist and employed as a wash or gargle is helpful. Use a tablespoon ful to half a tumbler of water.
Or use as a mouth wash 2 drops of concentrated solution of permanga nate of potash in a glass of water, or moisten a bit of cotton with this so lution and insert it in the cavity of the tooth.
Or to 4 ounces of fresh prepared limewater add 1 dram of Peruvian bark and use as a mouth wash night and morning.
Or swallow half a teaspoonful of powdered charcoal mixed with a lit tle cold water. Or two or three char coal tablets after each meal.
Or use a tooth powder containing charcoal and one of the mouth washes mentioned above. If these are not efficacious, there is probably some or ganic disease, and a physician should be consulted.
Loose teeth or looseness of the teeth may be due to the effects of tartar, to diseases of the gum, old age, or other causes. Use as a remedy an astringent mouth wash of a tea spoonful of alum dissolved in a quart of soft water or any mouth wash con taining myrrh, tannic acid, and simi lar substances.
To Remove the Odor of Onions.— A cup of black coffee tends to re move the odor of onions from the breath.
Or parsley with vinegar is useful for this purpose.
Or 4 or 5 drops of the concen trated, solution of chloride of soda taken in 2 tablespoonfuls of cold water.
Mouth Pastilles to Perfume the Breath.—Mix 6 drams each of pow dered chocolate and pulverized coffee with 4 drams of prepared charcoal, 4 drams of pulverized lump sugar pre viously saturated with 4 drops of ex tract of vanilla, and make into loz enges with gum tragacanth dissolved in water. This may be used freely to purify the breath.
Or extract of licorice, 6 ounces; oil of cloves, 3 drams; oil of cinnamon, dram. Mix and divide into 2-grain pills and coat them.
Or place in a double boiler ounces of extract of licorice,1 ounces of water. When dissolved, stir in ounce of catechu, ounce of gum arable. Continue a gentle heat, stir ring constantly until all the ingredi ents are dissolved, then add 15 drops each of mastic, cascarilla, charcoal, and orris, all in powdered form. Beat the whole with an egg beater or otherwise until thoroughly mixed. Remove from the fire and when near ly cold perfume with 10 drops each of oil of peppermint, oil of winter green, and 5 drops of essence of am bergris. Form into lozenges. These are used by smokers to perfume the breath.