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How to Get Rid of Garlic Breath

Amanda Gurton 8 min read Beginner
How to get rid of garlic breath

Quick summary

This article explains how to reduce garlic breath by brushing, flossing, and scraping the tongue to remove sulfur compounds, then using odor-neutralizers like parsley, mint, lemon, green tea, milk, apples, or sugar-free gum. Since garlic compounds can enter the bloodstream and leave through the lungs, these steps freshen the mouth and soften odor rather than erase it completely.

Key Takeaways

  • Garlic breath is caused by sulfur compounds that can linger in the mouth and be released through the lungs.
  • Brushing, flossing, and tongue scraping are the most important first steps after eating garlic.
  • Apples, parsley, mint, lemon, green tea, milk, and sugar-free gum can help reduce or mask garlic odor.
  • Mints alone usually provide only short-term cover and do not remove the source of garlic breath.

So, how to get rid of garlic breath?

There are many people around the globe who just love to use garlic in their foods and they give preference to using it on the daily basis. Garlic is of great importance, though, it not only gives a unique flavor to the food but it also enhances the aroma of the meal. There are many other advantages of it as well like it is good for the people who are patients of heart and it is full of antioxidants as well. But the bad thing about this is the presence of sulphuric compound in it that not only is beneficial on one hand but it is also the reason for producing an unpleasant smell which is normally considered as garlic breath.

In this topic, we will suggest you some of the solutions that are associated with the garlic breath and easy solutions to get rid of garlic breath fast.

How to get rid of garlic breath

How to get rid of garlic breath?

Solution:

One of the best solutions s to stop using garlic, in order to eliminate the smell of garlic from the breath. If you cannot stop the use of garlic from your diet then there are other solutions as well. This should be kept in mind, even if you neutralizes the use of garlic from the food, even then you will exhale the garlic breath from the lungs just because of the presence of that sulphuric compound. Therefore, it is insane to think that the smell will be eliminated completely as this is not possible.

Home Remedies to get rid of garlic breath: 

  • Brushing and flossing:

The most effective way to get rid of the smell is by removing garlic particles from the mouth and make those sulfur compounds volatile in your mouth. This is only possible if you are brushing properly and flossing your teeth on the regular basis, you can also use a tongue scraper or any mouth wash in this case. The use of tongue scrapper is an important step in providing relief to the sulphuric compounds that are present on your tongue. The remedies that are stated below are for short term basis, these will not provide you the solution on long term basis until or unless you do not use any mouthwash, tongue scrapper or you do not floss your teeth regularly to remove the particles associated with it.

  • Use of water pik:

Water pik is another important thing that is beneficial in removing the compound of garlic that are present in between the teeth and onto the teeth and mouth. You can also try oral irrigator that will be effective in blowing water to the back of the mouth and it may help in removing the particles that are left behind.

  • Parsley:

Parsley is effective and important in neutralizing the odor of garlic and many other things similar to that. Many of the people who are well aware with the use, techniques and advantages of food, add parsley along with the garlic to keep the odor to the minimum level. You can chew parsley as well after eating garlic.

  • Cardamom, anise seeds, mint, cloves and fennel seeds:

These are all those herbs that produce the same result like parsley. These seeds are quite beneficial in many other aspects and are mostly used in foods to reduce the smell of the garlic and to neutralize its effect. It also helps in giving a mask to the garlic odor.

  • Use of lemon:

Lemon is another effective thing for neutralizing the odor of garlic. Lemon have antibacterial properties as well that helps in the killing of the bacteria. You can use lemon either by simply sucking it after eating garlic containing food. You can also make lemon tea from it and use it after the meal. If you wash your hands with lemon juice, this would also be beneficial in removing the odor that is left in the hands.

Lemon also works well if it is used with some garlic that is crushed. The acid that is present in garlic juice is helpful in the neutralizing alliance, this is an enzyme that is being produced when the garlic is crushed, and it produces odor in return.

  • Green and peppermint tea:

Different teas especially green tea and peppermint tea contains polyphenols in it that are helpful in reducing the sulfur compounds that are left behind when the garlic is being used. By drinking this tea after the meal or in between the meal will be helpful in removing the smell.

  • Sugar-free chewing gums:

There are many sugar free gums available in market that will be good in providing mask to the odor of garlic and it will also help in dislodging garlic and many other food particles that have been stuck in your mouth or between the mouth.

  • Use of milk:

A research was conducted in 2010 and the results obtained states that the consumption of milk is helpful in reducing the smell of the garlic. Whole milk is far better than skimmed milk if it is used to drink. The use of milk would be better if this milk is being used side by side with garlic rather than consuming milk after the use of garlic.

  • Coffee beans:

Although this is a solution that is quite awkward but it have been reported that chewing of the coffee beans or even if you ground it a bit and then spit it afterwards from the mouth would also help in reducing breath.

  • Odorless garlic supplements:

If you are using garlic because this has many other beneficial aspects, then it is good to switch yourself to garlic supplements that are odorless.

  • Apples:

It is commonly observed that if we cut an apple and we leave it for some time, the color of the apple will change and it will be converted into brown. This is because an enzyme, is responsible for changing this color thus leaving it less appealing regarding its look. This also acts as a natural deodorant that would be good if it is helpful in removing the smell of the garlic.

What to Do Right After Eating Garlic

The fastest way to get rid garlic breath is to act while the garlic oils and food particles are still in your mouth. Rinse with water first, then brush your teeth, gums, and tongue for at least two minutes. Garlic odor often lingers on the tongue and between teeth, so flossing and tongue scraping matter just as much as brushing. If you cannot brush immediately, chew sugar-free gum and drink water to increase saliva, which helps wash away odor-causing particles.

For a food-based fix, eat crisp, water-rich foods after the meal. Apple slices, lettuce, cucumber, celery, and fresh mint can help refresh the mouth and reduce the sharp garlic smell. These work best when eaten soon after garlic, not hours later after the sulfur compounds have already been absorbed.

Why Garlic Breath Can Last for Hours

Garlic breath is stubborn because it is not only a mouth odor problem. When garlic is digested, sulfur compounds can enter the bloodstream and later leave the body through the lungs. That is why brushing may make your mouth feel cleaner but may not completely remove the smell from your breath. The odor can return when you exhale, especially after a garlic-heavy meal.

This is also why milk, green tea, parsley, lemon, and apples may help more when used alongside the meal or soon after it. They can reduce odor in the mouth and may help soften the intensity of the smell, but they cannot instantly erase every compound once garlic has been digested.

Best Garlic Breath Routine Before a Social Event

If you have eaten garlic before work, a date, or a close conversation, use a layered approach. Start with water, then floss, brush, and clean your tongue. Follow with an alcohol-free mouthwash if available, because a dry mouth can make odor worse. Eat apple, parsley, mint, or drink green tea, then keep sugar-free gum with you for the next few hours.

Avoid relying only on strong mints. They may cover garlic breath briefly, but the odor often returns. The better goal is to remove food particles, keep saliva flowing, and use foods or drinks that help neutralize the smell rather than simply perfume it.

For related advice, see [The Benefits of Garlic & Garlic Remedies](/the-benefits-of-garlic-garlic-remedies), [10 Beauty Tips for Women](/10-beauty-tips-for-women) and [11 Steps for healing a burnt tongue](/11-steps-for-healing-a-burnt-tongue).

Dental professionals commonly recommend treating garlic breath as both an oral hygiene issue and a digestion-related odor issue. Brushing, flossing, tongue cleaning, hydration, and saliva stimulation are the most practical first steps, while foods such as apples, parsley, mint, and drinks like green tea or milk can provide extra help after a garlic-heavy meal.

Amanda Gurton Expert opinion

Conclusion

Garlic breath happens because garlic leaves strong sulfur compounds in the mouth and, after digestion, can also affect the air you exhale from the lungs. That is why the best remedies combine cleaning the mouth with odor-neutralizing foods and drinks.

To get rid garlic breath faster, brush, floss, scrape your tongue, drink water, and use helpful options such as parsley, apples, lemon, green tea, milk, mint, or sugar-free gum. These steps may not remove the smell instantly, but they can make it much less noticeable.

Frequently Asked Questions

The fastest method is to rinse with water, floss, brush your teeth, clean your tongue, and then chew sugar-free gum or fresh parsley to keep saliva moving and reduce the odor.
Garlic contains sulfur compounds that can be absorbed during digestion and released through the lungs, so the smell may return even after the mouth has been cleaned.
Milk may help reduce garlic odor, especially when consumed with the garlic-containing meal. Whole milk is often considered more effective than skim milk because fat can help bind some odor compounds.
Lemon can help freshen the mouth and reduce odor, but it should not replace brushing and flossing. Because lemon is acidic, rinse with plain water afterward to protect tooth enamel.
Garlic breath can last a few hours and sometimes longer after a very garlic-heavy meal. Cleaning the mouth and using foods like apples, parsley, mint, or green tea can reduce how noticeable it is.

Last updated

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a licensed dermatologist or healthcare provider before starting any new treatment.

A
Amanda Gurton

Beauty & Hair Care Editor

Amanda Gurton is a beauty editor and researcher with a focus on translating dermatology and trichology insights into clear, actionable advice. She covers skincare routines, hair health, ingredient science, and everyday beauty habits.

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