Crisp Fruits and Vegetables Can Help Bad Breath
A recent article on abcnew.go.com from September 27, 2010 discussed how you can do simple things to improve your breath.
Did you know that eating crisp fruits and vegetables like apples, celery, cucumbers and carrots are natural cleansers? While chewing them, you increase your mouth’s saliva intake. So make sure to eat plenty of these fruits and vegetables – it’s not only good for your digestive health and diet, but your breath too! For more foods that can fix bad breath, read one of our previous postings “Foods that Will Help Bad Breath”.
On the flip side, there are foods that can make your breath worse.
Onions and Garlic: Everyone knows that onions and garlic create bad breath – just smell them! There are odorous sulphur compounds in these foods – sulphur is nature’s way of creating odors.
Alcohol: Alcohol is the basis of all “adult” beverages. It has a drying agent and will actually create dry mouth – which is prime breeding ground for bad breath. Most common mouthwashes also have a very high amount of alcohol in them (as much as a six-pack of beer!). Make sure to use a mouthwash that contains no alcohol to help eliminate bad breath.
Dairy: More people are lactose intolerant than you’d think (tens of millions worldwide) – and some of them don’t even know it. This means that their bodies can’t break down the lactose protein in any dairy products (milk, cheese, ice cream, etc). This causes a build-up of amino acids which can convert into the compounds that cause more bad breath.
Sugars: Sugar does major damage to your teeth, not to mention your breath. It is pure fuel for bacteria to reproduce and cause you bad breath. Be sure to always chew sugar free gum.
Acidic Foods: Foods high in acid provide a great environment for bacteria, leading to bad breath. This includes coffee and citrus juices. Switch to tea in the mornings, when you can.
For a more detailed explanation and comprehensive list, be sure to download the Bad Breath Bible. And check out the on-air story that ran on ABC’s Good Morning America (with an appearance by our own Dr. Katz).
So does this mean you have to drastically change your diet and never have a drink or a piece of candy again? No. By making good choices in your daily oral care and limiting your intake of foods that cause bad breath, you’ll be fine.
Tags: alcohol causes bad breath, bad breath, diet, Dr. Harold Katz, sugar free
