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HALITOSIS

FOODS THAT HARM

  • Garlic
  • Onions

    FOODS THAT HEAL

  • Water
  • Red bell pepper
  • Broccoli
  • Fennel seeds
  • Chewing gum with xylitol

    WHO’S AFFECTED

  • 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