Ways to Prevent and Eliminate Cigar Breath

Newton's third law puts it this way: For every action there's an
equal and opposite reaction. But the old '70s soul song says it
all much more colorfully: You always have to pay for the fun
you've had.

No matter what your hobby or pet pastime, there's always some
undesirable aspect that has to be dealt with. If you're an
athlete, you may have to spend the occasional Monday morning
icing a pulled muscle. Sports spectators have to deal with hard
bleacher seats, cold weather, and possibly obnoxious bellowing
from the guy in the next row--unless you catch the game on TV,
where you just have to put up with odd camera angles. Or let's
say you like reading: Obsessive readers may end up with slight
vision problems--in fact, graduate students in literature are
often advised that they should expect (and be checked for)
increased nearsightedness with each year of study. Too much TV
can induce apathy and is positively correlated with depression
and obesity (and with infomercials, a far worse fate). And most
everybody enjoys video games, but if you enjoy them too much,
you may--there are documented cases of this--incur a repetitive
stress injury to your thumb. As for pet owners, well, let's not
even talk about all the poop-scooping that becomes part of your
life.

And cigar smokers have their own result of fun to consider.
Specifically, the aromatic scent of their favorite cigar may
attach to unwelcome places such as clothes. In fact, back when
cigar smoking was the universal habit of Victorian gentleman,
many of these smokers would maintain a separate outfit to wear
when smoking, which would absorb the fumes. (Thus the terms
"smoking jacket" and "smoking cap," which we still use.)

But it's the effect of a cigar scent settling on breath that
some cigar smokers may find troublesome. The considerate cigar
smoker is aware of this and plans accordingly. Here are some
suggestions to help you pay for the enjoyment you've
had--without paying too much!

1) Choose good cigars. This may seem like an obvious point, but
the better-made the cigar, the less chemical the odor. Buy
well-made, hand-rolled, long-filler cigars from a quality cigar
outlet or online store.

2) For while you're smoking: Drink tea, or eat. (Mild-flavored
teas are most recommended; as for foodstuffs, consider dark
chocolates or other simple, strong-but-not-too-strong tastes.)
"Cutting" your cigar with food or drink can help absorb both the
aftertaste and the effects on breath.

3) Keep some fresh parsley on hand--or even a parsley plant in
your kitchen or living room, or whatever room is nearest to the
place where you smoke. This herb has traditionally come
recommended for its odor-killing powers.

4) Chew gum. Mint-flavored gums are recommended, the stronger
the better.

5) On that note, try chewing raw mint. As with parsley, you can
keep it around in its herbal form and chew it undiluted after a
cigar. You can also keep strong breath mints on hand.

6) Mouth sprays, as well as mouthwashes specifically intended
for cigar smokers, are available commercially, and can be
purchased from cigar stores or online cigar retailers. These are
highly recommended. They're made by people who understand. Some
of the anti-cigar-breath mouthwashes have the side benefit of
clearing away the tar that might otherwise stain your teeth. If
these mouthwashes aren't available, a typical mouthwash and a
good tooth-brushing will be a lot better than nothing.

7) To avoid breath problems the next morning after a smoke:
After a smoke, never go to bed without eating something. Even if
it's just a tiny, simple snack, it "cuts" the cigar and reduces
breath problems while seeming to absorb and clear away the odors
in your mouth.

So, to recap: enjoy good cigars. Drink tea or eat while you
smoke, or after you smoke. Brush your teeth like Mom said, and
use a good mouthwash--perhaps especially a mouthwash intended
for cigar smokers. And mint and thyme help too, especially for
those days when you have to rush from your smoke to a work
meeting or a date.

About the author:
CigarFox provides you the
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