Food and Drinks That Can Help Mask Bad Breath

Bad breath, also referred to as fetor oris or halitosis, is a dental condition that affects around 25 percent of the population. Although halitosis has a number of causes, the main cause is usually poor oral hygiene.

According to dental records, halitosis makes the third major reason why people visit the dentist after gum disease and dental decay. Simple lifestyle changes and home remedies such as quitting smoking and improving your diet and dental hygiene can often resolve the issue. If the condition persists, however, it would be best to pay a dentist near you a visit so that they can identify the underlying cause.

Causes of Halitosis

Bad breath may result from poor dental hygiene, but this is not always the cause. Several general health diseases and conditions can cause halitosis, including a dry mouth, heartburn, and diseases affecting different body parts. The main symptom of halitosis is a foul-smelling breath that is not eliminated by regular brushing and is strong enough for people around you to notice. Here are the causes of bad breath:

• Poor oral care

As you take your meal, it is normal for food particles to get stuck in the dental grooves and depressions on your teeth surface. Dental experts advocate good oral hygiene practices like brushing teeth after meals because it helps get rid of the trapped particles. Failure to do so will have bacteria breaking down the trapped particles in your mouth, and the combination of decaying food and the bacteria produce a very unpleasant odor.

Regular brushing and flossing also remove dental plaque, a sticky bacteria film that builds up on teeth and causes bad odor. If you also wear dentures and fail to clean them regularly, your breath will likely be affected.

• Smoking

Smoking cigars, cigarettes, and other tobacco products will not only leave you with bad breath but also predispose you to gum disease, which is also a cause of halitosis.

• Strong beverages and foods

Eating foods like garlic, onions, or other consumables with strong odors will have your stomach absorbing the oils from these foods during digestion. The oils will get absorbed into your bloodstream and get carried to the lungs. This will produce a foul oral odor that people around you can notice when you speak for around 72 hours. Drinking strong beverages with an odor, like coffee, can also lead to halitosis.

Foods & Drinks Recommended for People with Bad Breath

A good dental care routine is one of the best ways to prevent halitosis, but what you consume also has a major impact on your breath. If you are looking to curb halitosis, foods like garlic and onions are a no-no, but the main cause of the problem usually lies deeper hence why it is important to visit our Aurora dentist. At Spruce Canyon Family Dentistry, we offer quality and affordable dental care.

Here are foods that will help get rid of bad breath.

• Raw veggies and fruits

Crunchy raw fresh veggies and fruits like apples, carrots, celery, and pears stimulate saliva production, which helps clean out the bacteria responsible for the foul odor. These fruits are also fiber-rich; thus, they act as natural toothbrushes cleaning your teeth as you eat them.

• Green tea

Studies show that catechin, the natural antioxidant found in green tea, helps fight bad-breath-causing bacteria.

• Cherries

Eating cherries will help get rid of a bad-breath-causing gas, methyl mercaptan, that naturally occurs in some foods like cheeses and onions.

• Sugarless gum

Chewing sugarless gum loosens and removes both dead cells and food particles from your teeth’ grooves, which is what bacteria feed on to produce bad breath. Avoid gum sweetened with sugar because it can promote dental decay.

• Water

Drinking water in plenty helps rehydrate your body and naturally rinses away dead cells and food particles in your mouth. This makes your oral cavity a less hospitable ground for breeding harmful bacteria.

• Yogurt

Probiotic yogurt has good bacteria that help combat the harmful bacteria causing bad breath. Eating around three ounces of probiotic sugar-free yogurt at least twice a day for around six weeks will lower the levels of the bacteria-causing compounds.

• Citrus and melons

Melons, citrus fruits, and other foodstuffs rich in Vitamin C help prevent oral health problems and halitosis-causing gingivitis.