Avocado Remedy for Bad Breath

By: Melissa King

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Most people don't eat avocados for their breath-freshening powers, but that's just one of the benefits you'll get from snacking on this tasty fruit. Avocado's rich, creamy flesh cleanses your mouth when chewed, so it acts like a natural toothbrush. It even gets rid of bacteria and food debris caught in your throat and intestines -- that's something that even the best floss and mouthwash can't do. If you're ever without toothpaste, skip the trip to the drugstore and try chowing down on avocado instead.

Step 1

Set an avocado out at room temperature to allow it to ripen, if necessary. Depending on how hard the avocado is, this may take a day or two. To ripen faster, put the avocado in a paper bag with a banana or an apple. An avocado is ripe if it feels soft when you gently squeeze it.

Step 2

Slice the avocado in half lengthwise with a knife. Starting from the top, work the knife all the way around the avocado until you've separated it into two halves.

Step 3

Pull out and discard the brown pit. If the pit doesn't come out easily, use the tip of your knife to remove it.

Step 4

Scoop the avocado flesh out of the avocado half with a soup spoon. The entire half should come out intact without much effort. If it doesn't, simply scoop out the flesh in pieces.

Step 5

Cut the avocado into small, bite-sized chunks. Eat a chunk or two of avocado whenever you need to freshen up your breath. Alternatively, serve the avocado as an ingredient in salads, sandwiches, Mexican dishes and other meals.