6 Common Causes of Bad Breath
Bad breath can be awkward and embarrassing for the person with bad breath and for those around them. Although maintaining your daily oral hygiene is vital to prevent bad breath, your dietary choices also play a large role in how minty fresh your breath is. The following foods and drinks are some of the biggest culprits for creating bad breath.
6 Bad Breath Causing Foods and Beverages
Coffee
The caffeine in coffee dries out the mouth and decreases saliva production. It is also extremely acidic, which creates an ideal environment for oral bacteria to flourish. These bacteria produce unpleasant odors that linger in your mouth because of the lack of saliva, which would normally keep bacteria under control and wash any smelly substances away.
Alcohol
Alcohol acts like caffeine in that it dries out the mouth and slows down saliva production. Without saliva to wash away oral bacteria, they thrive and create foul smelling odors. Alcohol in all forms has this effect, including in mouthwashes that contain alcohol.
Protein Rich Food
The bacteria that feed on high protein foods, such as meat, eggs, fish and dairy products can produce a kind of sulfur, which leaves a pungent smell on the breath.
Acidic Foods
Foods that are highly acidic, such as citrus fruits, vinegar-based foods, tomatoes, and peppers, all help oral bacteria to grow and breed at faster than normal. Large amounts of bacteria in the mouth usually results in bad breath.
Garlic
Garlic, and in some cases onions and curry, have smells are extremely pungent. The sulfur compounds of these foods are absorbed into the bloodstream and the sulfur smell comes through the skin, lungs, and mouth after ingestion.
Sugar
Sugar is a quickly absorbed food source for oral bacteria, which makes them thrive, grow and reproduce at a rapid rate. These bacteria can form into plaque which can cause teeth to decay if not removed. Tooth decay can cause or contribute to bad breath.
If you are unable to successful prevent or get rid of your bad breath, schedule an appointment at Four Seasons Dental today. Our highly trained staff will be able to examine your mouth and determine the cause of the bad breath, as well as identify if there is larger medical issue in the mouth that needs to be addressed.