You spent some time yesterday smoking a (hopefully) great cigar, hit the hay and the next morning you’ve woken up and your mouth tastes like you ate the ash off that stick you were enjoying. Almost anyone who has smoked a stogie has been there. I’m here to tell you friend, there are ways to avoid this. Some tips will follow, but first let’s look at what causes Cigar Breath.
Bad Breath Beginnings
The main cause of bad breath in anyone is generally dry mouth. Our saliva protects our mouths from harmful bacteria that can cause a whole myriad of problems – bad breath or Halitosis included. When smoking, the tobacco dries out your mouth, reducing the amount of saliva you produce and therefore making it a great place for that bacteria to multiply. Something similar happens when you drink too much alcohol and not enough water and wake up the next morning with “tequila breath.” One of the very first things you can do to help prevent Cigar Breath is hydrate before, during and after smoking your cigars.
Beat it Before it Comes
There are a few other things that might help you prevent the problem outright. First and foremost, you should be smoking good cigars. You want to make sure you’re smoking cigars that have been aged properly, and were hand rolled versus machine made. Second, you want to make sure you’re not smoking too hot, as this will cause a lot of really bad flavors from tars and burned oils contributing to your Cigar Breath. Let your cigar rest in your hand or on an ash tray between puffs to help with this.
Mother Nature’s Remedies
There are a few natural “cures” that you can use either right after smoking or the next day to eliminate or reduce the effects of Cigar Breath. These include things like chewing on Parsley or Fennel Seeds or drinking strong tea. Parsley and other greens contain chlorophyll (what makes plants green) that is a natural bad breath killer. Fennel seeds are extremely aromatic and may contain oils that can help both mask or eliminate the bad breath. Drinking tea does double duty as the hot water and tannin in Tea will help wash away the bacteria.
But, you can also drink Citrus drinks like lemon or limeade to help eliminate those lingering flavors. Some cigar smokers have stated that drinking cocktails with Tonic Water with Quinine will help remove the taste from your mouth as well, while others say liquor like whiskey helps. These can help, but the trick is to not overindulge and get a combo of Cigar and Whiskey breath. There are a number of mouth washes like Targon, Smart Mouth and Cigar Clear that can help remove the root of the problem. The key is to pick an oxygen rich, alcohol free mouthwash to help remove those bad breath germs.
Just like a certain Bear once told us, “Only YOU can prevent Cigar Breath.” The two best options other than those listed above are Time and Food. The cigar after effects will lessen with time and also with meals. If you smoke right before bed, you will wake up with some kind of funky breath. If you eat dinner after smoking, you will probably have less of a noticeable effect.