How to Get Rid of Cigarette Smell in Your Mouth (and Other Bad Breath)

The quickest way to get rid of cigarette smell in your mouth is to clean the tongue, rinse, drink water and chew sugar-free gum. Those four steps remove most of what you can smell within a few minutes. The smell comes back if the cause is deeper, so below is what works right now, why smoke breath lingers, and when the problem is a dental one.

How to remove cigarette smell from your mouth fast

1. Brush your teeth and, above all, your tongue. Smoke residue and odour-producing bacteria collect on the back of the tongue. A tongue scraper or the back of a soft toothbrush, used gently from back to front, removes more odour than brushing the teeth alone.
2. Rinse. An alcohol-free mouthwash with zinc or cetylpyridinium chloride reduces the sulphur compounds that make breath smell. Rinse for the full 30 seconds the label says. Strong alcohol-based rinses dry the mouth and can make the smell return sooner.
3. Drink water. Smoking dries the mouth, and a dry mouth smells worse. Sip water for several minutes rather than one big drink.
4. Chew sugar-free gum, preferably with xylitol. It stimulates saliva, which is the mouth's own cleaner. Mints and gum mask the smell for 15 to 30 minutes; saliva is what actually reduces it.
5. Floss. Smoke and food particles collect between teeth, and the smell from there is not removed by brushing.

These steps take about five minutes. If you need it in 30 seconds, rinse with water, chew gum and wash your hands, because a lot of what other people smell is smoke on your hands and clothes, not your breath.

Why smoke breath lingers

• Smoke sticks to the mouth. Tar and other particles settle on the tongue, gums and the lining of the cheeks, and release odour for hours.
• Smoking dries the mouth. Less saliva means more odour-producing bacteria and slower clearing of food debris.
• Smokers have more gum disease. Infected gum pockets give off a sour, persistent smell that no mouthwash covers for long.
• Not only the mouth. Some of the smell comes from the lungs and from clothes and hair, which is why it can seem to persist after you have cleaned your mouth.

What does not work well

• Mints and perfumed gum alone. They cover the smell for a short time and do nothing about the cause.
• Strong alcohol mouthwash, used often. It dries the mouth and can worsen breath later in the day.
• Brushing teeth only. Most odour sits on the tongue and between the teeth.
• Chlorhexidine rinses as a daily habit. Dentists prescribe them for a short time for gum problems; used long term they stain teeth.

Bad breath that is not from smoking

Bad breath, or halitosis, comes from the mouth in the large majority of cases. Common causes:

• Coating on the tongue. The most common cause. Bacteria break down proteins and release sulphur compounds with a rotten-egg smell.
• Gum disease. Bleeding, swollen gums or a bad taste when you floss. It needs a dentist and a professional clean, not a stronger mouthwash.
• Tooth decay and old, leaking fillings. Decayed teeth hold food and bacteria. See a dentist if the smell comes from one area or one tooth.
• Dry mouth. From mouth breathing, some medications, alcohol or not drinking enough.
• Food. Garlic and onion odours come partly through the lungs after digestion, and brushing only helps a little.
• Tonsil stones and throat or sinus problems. Post-nasal drip and small stones in the tonsils can cause a persistent smell.
• Digestive and general health. Reflux, diabetes and some other conditions can affect breath. This is a less common cause, so if the mouth is healthy and the smell continues, see a doctor.

Do rotten teeth cause bad breath?

Yes. A decayed tooth traps food, and bacteria that feed on it release foul-smelling gases. Treating the tooth, with a filling, root canal treatment or removal, solves the smell. If a tooth is missing or beyond saving, an implant restores it.

A daily routine that keeps breath fresh

1. Brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste.
2. Clean your tongue every morning.
3. Floss or use interdental brushes once a day.
4. Drink water through the day and do not skip breakfast, because an empty stomach and dry mouth worsen morning breath.
5. Replace your toothbrush every three months.
6. Have a check-up and professional clean once or twice a year.

Home remedies: what is reasonable

• Baking soda rinse (half a teaspoon in a glass of water): neutralises acid and can freshen the mouth briefly. It does not treat the cause.
• Crunchy fruit and vegetables such as apples, celery and carrots: help clean the teeth as you chew and increase saliva.
• Green tea and parsley: a short-term freshening effect at most.

None of these replaces cleaning the tongue and between the teeth, and none treats gum disease or decay.

When to see a dentist

• Bad breath that continues for more than two weeks despite good cleaning.
• Bleeding or swollen gums, loose teeth or a persistent bad taste.
• Smell that comes from one tooth or one area.
• You smoke and have never had a gum check. Smoking hides the early signs of gum disease, because gums bleed less than they should.

If you smoke and are considering implants, note that smoking is the biggest single risk factor for implant failure. We explain it in Is All-on-4 safe, and who is a candidate.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get cigarette smell out of my mouth instantly?

Rinse with water, scrape or brush your tongue, then chew sugar-free gum. It will not remove everything, but it removes most of the smell for the next hour. Wash your hands too.

How long does cigarette breath last?

The smell is usually strongest for the first 30 minutes to an hour and fades over a few hours if you clean your mouth and drink water. In regular smokers some smell stays between cigarettes because of dry mouth and gum problems.

Does mouthwash get rid of cigarette smell?

It helps, especially alcohol-free rinses with zinc or cetylpyridinium chloride, but it works best after brushing the tongue and teeth, not instead of it.

Why does my mouth still smell after brushing?

Because the odour is mostly on the tongue and between the teeth, or it comes from gum disease or decay. Clean the tongue and floss, and if the smell returns daily, have your teeth and gums checked.

Can I get rid of bad breath permanently?

If the cause is in the mouth, yes: clean the tongue and between the teeth daily, treat any decay or gum disease, and keep your mouth moist. Stopping smoking is the largest single change for smokers.

Next step

If the smell does not go away, or your gums bleed, a dentist can find the cause in one visit. Planning treatment in Belgrade? Send us your X-ray through the free online consultation.