People with dental problems, sinusitis, diabetes, chronic bronchitis, and other underlying conditions
Everyone can have bad breath once in a while, particularly after eating a meal laced with odiferous
garlic or onions But when it happens regularly, you might have a chronic underlying problem
Halitosis has many causes, including poor dental hygiene, gum disease, denture problems, dry mouth,
or an infection of some kind
Treatment starts with attending carefully to brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, or making
sure dentures are cleaned properly If odor still persists, a trip to the dentist for evaluation is in order,
and if you get an all-clear on your oral health, visit your physician to rule out other problems, which
could include sinusitis, diabetes, strep throat, chronic bronchitis, or other diseases
QUICK TIP:
Chew on fennel seeds
Chewing on a pinch of fennel seeds after meals can help freshen your breath
Nutrition Connection
Your breath is what you eat For either occasional halitosis or chronic bad breath, here are a few
guidelines:
Drink plenty of water Quaffing a big glass of water after every meal will help flush out the bits
of food that stench-producing bacteria thrive on Water also helps you produce saliva, which helps
the mouth cleanse itself
Chew sugar-free gum Chewing gum sweetened with xylitol—a natural, low-calorie sugar—helps
cleanse breath because xylitol curbs the growth of bacteria in the mouth The gum itself helps loosen
trapped food particles and increases saliva production For best results, chew for at least five
minutes after every meal
Reach for raw veggies Those rich in vitamin C, such as broccoli and red bell pepper, are
particularly good fighters of bad breath, because they create an unfriendly environment for bacteria
What’s more, eating raw, crunchy vegetables helps remove food particles stuck between teeth
Beyond the Diet
Some lifestyle choices affects your breath Here’s what you should do to freshen up:
Enforce a tobacco taboo A mouth that smells like an ashtray is yet another reason to stop
smoking
Launder those dentures Improperly cleaned dentures house smelly bacteria, fungi and food
particles, which cause bad breath
Brush your tongue When you brush your teeth, pass your soft toothbrush over your tongue a few
times to dislodge bacteria Some people use tongue scraper tools, but there’s little evidence that
they’re any more effective than simple brushing