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You are here: Home / Dental Articles / Foods that lead to bad breath

Foods that lead to bad breath

January 17, 2008 By Dr. Chetan 1 Comment

Bad breath or halitosis as it is medically termed is caused by many factors, one of which is the food you eat. Mouth Saliva has enzymes which interact with food to give off mouth odor. It also picks up the odor from food after a couple of hours from which it’s eaten. These results in a bad smell emanating from a person’s mouth when they speak and it can be a very embarrassing problem. Not only is the person suffering from bad breath having difficulties as a result of this issue, it is also disturbing to the people around the,

Bad breath arises from Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs), two of which are namely hydrogen sulfide (gives the rotten egg smell) and methyl mercaptan (give the smell of skunk oil. Bad breath is not limited to a specific group of eater,. Both vegetarians and non-vegetarian alike experience bad breath.

Here’s a look at some food that can cause bad breath:

* Garlic and Onions are famous for their pungent odor. When their natural flavor mixes with mouth saliva and digestive acids, they give out a bad smell in the mouth.

* Food that is rich in starch, carbohydrates gives out strong mouth odors.

* Food with cellulose is another factor causing bad odor.

* Foods high in proteins cause bad odor. Proteinis found in Meat, fish and seafood, eggs, and dairy foods. cereal grains, peas, beans, and lentils are a so a source of protein as are the ingredient of foods like cakes and pies

* If you don’t brush your teeth, food particles get stuck between the teeth reacts with mouth bacteria causing bad breath.

* Chewing gum and mint with sugar and then anaerobic bacteria break them down they produce Volatile Sulfur Compounds or bad breath.

* Coffee and alcohol are both causes of bad breath

One of the first things a dentist will go over with someone reporting bad breath problem to them is their diet. If they are eating too much of those foods that cause bad breath, their diet needs to be modified to include foods reduce the effect of bad breath. Having a balanced diet with the right level of protein vitamins, minerals and including some herbs can help to fight off bad breath.

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Comments

  1. Russ says

    February 26, 2008 at 2:35 am

    what kind of foods can give you good breath?

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