Is Bad Ugly Garlic Breath Hopeless?
Yes. Today I have a really bad case of garlic breath. It’s so bad that I can hardly stand myself. Last night we had dinner at a friend’s house and I enjoyed something that I haven’t had for several years – baked garlic. Today I remember why it has been so long.
Baked garlic is a true gustatory pleasure. We spread the soft hot baked cloves over coarse whole-grain buttered bread. Yum!! It was a taste treat. Three of us polished off three garlic bulbs – that’s bulbs, not cloves. Poor Mike, who isn’t fond of the treat, had only a bite. Today he won’t come near me.
Thereabreath products may be terrific, but they don’t get rid of the garlic smell when it’s oozing out of my pores. I may have scraped my tongue, but my tongue needs more than a cleaning – it needs a transplant!
So what to do about garlic breath? In this case — nothing. If you are going to overindulge – and I mean really overindulge the way we did last night – make sure you don’t have to be near any humans the next day. Laura had to go to work today. Sandy is on a day long date with her fella ( bad timing!!). I am home with my computer and poor Mike is trying to avoid me.
Baked garlic and major bad garlic breath. Would I do it again? You bet – but I’ll wait a few more years for the next time. 
Solutions for Garlic Breath
There are many reasons for bad breath and in this case Beth chose to have garlic breath. In our surveys we find garlic breath always tops the list as one of the most offensive. How do we prevent this garlic bad breath well this one is simple, don’t eat garlic or if you do make sure the partner/client has had some garlic also. 
Beth this is a simple garlic breath remedy you can use at a restaurant or anywhere. Once you finished your meal drink water to remove any food stuff left in the mouth. Excuse yourself and get that garlic mouth into the bathroom. Now if you’ve really come prepared, bring out the long range artillery, your toothbrush, floss, and mouthwash. If you don’t have a tongue scraper, just quietly grab a spoon from the table on your way to the bathroom. Maybe you are thinking it takes too long. Well consider the consequences, you could lose the deal or the kiss. I suggest carrying a travel size mouthwash, toothbrush, and floss. I know your thinking of mints or gum. Sorry short term goal that won’t seal the deal.
A natural cure for bad breath is cloves. Now, once you’ve fought off the garlic, the cloves will leave you with a fresh breath. If you’ve had so much garlic that it starts to come out the pores of your skin then that’s another department. I only handle the mouth.
What did you do about garlic? Did you go for it with gusto the way my wife did, or did you do something else?
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I always thought it interesting that garlic affects some people much worse, in the way of bad breath or leaking out the pores. It is very tough to get rid of garlic and especially after the kind of indulging that you described. I guess if you (or those around you) are going to have to put up with the after effects, you should enjoy the consumption as much as possible.
its a real problem depends what you like most garlic or people -)
I confess to being a lover of garlic as well as one who suffers from “garlic breath.” So, I really appreciate your post because it gives me several antidotes for the dreaded bad breath that follows a garlic enhanced meal. For me, giving up garlic is not an option. Therefore, it must be managed. Thanks for the information!
Very good post Beth, educational, entertaining and enlightening… you write with clarity and an obvious passion. It is an area that so many, would be blog authors over-look.
Here in France, the traditional remedy is to eat a few sprigs of fresh parsley.
So, so funny, not the bad breath! But the fact that I could eat a clove of the stuff and not have the after effects. Dan, my husband LOVES it and does have the bad next day effects. But I deal with it since I love him so very much….but dude he does have to wait for a kiss until it goes away! :0)
I LOVE garlic and every other garlic lover knows what a problem this is. I admit, though, that if I go on an exciting or important dinner date, I just avoid the delicious but odiferous spice. I got a chuckle out of the notion of carting my toothbrush on a date. Our dinner companion might think that’s an invitation for a longer evening than we might have planned!
You are so right about scraping our tongues … most of the odor lies there. Entertaining post.
Great advice. Simple and practical.
Interesting. I did not know about cloves being a good breath freshener. I’ll have to tell my single clients about this to make sure they get the kiss at the end of their date.
I am one of those people who love garlic but have to admit I have never eaten it straight up! Living in a household where most of us like garlic but my wife/mother doesn’t means it is only an occasional a problem fortunately. I agree with everyone else also finding your post both entertaining and enlightening. I’ll definitely keep the post-dinner remedy in mind the next time I even get close to over-indulgence!
What an entertaining AND informative article! I know just what you mean about over indulging but choosing to eat the garlic no matter the consequences.
Thanks for the tip about cloves. I like to use clove oil too.
The best way to combat garlic breath is for everyone to eat it. That is what they do in Korea, for example, where garlic is consumed at every meal. There could be some health benefits as well.
I couldn’t think of anything worse than using toothpaste and scraping my tongue to get rid of the aftertaste of a beautiful dinner. Whole cloves roasted in with the meat are gourmet. Providing you have garlic sparingly it won’t come through the pores of your skin. I love it but it does helps to be married to a supportive partner.
I just love Garlic. I put cook with it and put it in just about everything I make. I usually use the fresh garlic but recently bought garlic already minced. I use it when I don’t have enough time or out of the whole garlic. Yum!
Interesting post and thanks for the tips. Garlic is so nice but the after effect is not. Plan to eat it when convenient and best to be avoided for a romantic evening, but for those that really like garlic, then make sure your partner does like garlic.
Hi five folks – I just insist every one with me also eats garlic – it saves a lot of embarrassment with the breath bit – because once every one at the table has eaten the garlic no ones breath seems to have that awful stale smell of garlic – problem solved!… great post – definitely food for thought! – thanks…
All my best to you and your breath
Phillip Skinner
Believe it or not, there are some people which don’t mind the smell of garlic at all! That is, when it’s on their food, not on your mouth! Having garlic breath can really be a turn-off. If I were you, I would follow the author’s advice that before you indulge in garlic food, better check your schedule for the next day. If you have one important date or business meeting, then don’t ever risk it!
You gave a solution for garlic odor coming from the mouth (thoroughly clean one’s mouth); and admitted you have none for garlic coming out of the pores. The problem is, as studies and journal articles have been pointing out for the last 75 years, is that problem garlic breath does not come from the mouth – since mouth odor is easily resolved by brushing – but from the lungs. It is so archaic and smug to think about garlic breath in terms of oral hygiene. It is like telling people with clincial acne to go wash their face. If brushing your teeth rids you of garlic breath, then, like most people, you don’t have a garlic breath problem; but if you’re one of the unfortunate ones who do have such a problem, then no amount of brushing or cleaning will get rid of it. I’m sure you have good intentions, but telling someone they can get rid of garlic breath by external methods – just like telling somone they can get rid of chronic acne with topical cleansers or ointments – doe not help, but hurts.