Bad Breath
Persistent bad breath doesn't mean you eat too many onions. Bad breath is a sign of
major gum disease, says Roger P. Levin, D.D.S., president of the Baltimore Academy
of General Dentistry.
"It can also be gases and odors coming up from gastrointestinal problems," Dr. Levin
says. If your halitosis hangs on more than 24 hours without an obvious cause, see
your dentist or doctor.
Some diseases that can also cause bad breath include cancer, tuberculosis, syphilis,
dehydration, and zinc deficiency. Some drugs, including penicillamine and lithium,
can cause bad breath, too.
Don't Dine With The Garlic Family
Highly spiced foods like to linger long after the party's over. Spices tend to stay and
recirculate through essential oils they leave in your mouth. Depending on how much
you eat, the odor can stay in your mouth up to 24 hours; no matter how often you
brush your teeth. Some foods to avoid include onions, hot peppers, and garlic.
Meat At The Deli Later
Spicy deli meats such as pastrami, salami, and pepperoni also leave oils behind long
after you've swallowed them. You breathe. They breathe. If an occasion calls for
sweet-smelling breath, it's best to avoid these meats for 24 hours beforehand to
prevent them from talking for you.
Say, "Please, No Cheese"
Camembert, Roquefort, and blue cheese toppings are called strong for good reason
they get a hold on your breath and don't let go. Other dairy products can have the
same effect.
Don't Fish For Compliments
Some fish, like the anchovies on your pizza or even the tuna you tuck into your
brown-bag lunch, can leave a lasting impression.
Stick With Water
Coffee, beer, wine, and whiskey are at the top of the list of liquid offenders. Each
leaves a residue that can attach to the plaque in your mouth and infiltrate your
digestive system. Each breath you take spews traces of these back to the air.
Carry A Toothbrush
Some odors can be eliminated permanently or temporarily if you brush immediately
after a meal. The main culprit in bad breath is a soft, sticky film of living and dead
bacteria that clings to your teeth and gums, says Eric Shapira, D.D.S., assistant
clinical professor and lecturer at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry.
That film is called plaque. At any time, there are 50 trillion of these microscopic
organisms loitering in your mouth. They sit in every dark corner, eating each morsel
of food that passes your lips, collecting little smells, and producing little odors of their
own. As you exhale, the bacteria exhale. So brush away the plaque after each meal
and get rid of some of the breath problem.
Rinse Your Mouth Out
When you can't brush, you can rinse. Go to the restroom after meals and get a
mouthful of water, swish it around, and wash the smell of food from your mouth, says
Jerry F. Taintor, D.D.S., chairman of Endodontics at the University of Tennessee
College of Dentistry. Spit the water out, of course.
Eat Three Meals A Day
Bad breath can be caused by not eating, too. One of the side effects of fasting or a
poor diet is bad breath.
Eat Your Parsley
Parsley adds more than green to your lunch plate; it's also a breath-saver. Parsley
can freshen your breath naturally. So pick up that sprig and chew it thoroughly.
Brush Your Tongue
"Most people overlook their tongues," says Dr. Shapira. "Your tongue is covered with
little hairlike projections, which under a microscope look like a forest of mushrooms.
Under the caps of the mushrooms there's room to harbor plaque and some of the
things we eat. That causes bad breath."
His advice? While you are brushing, gently sweep the top of your tongue, too. Don't
leave food and bacteria behind to breed bad breath
Floss
Not to clean your teeth, although that's a great idea, but to find out just how bad your
breath might be, pull the floss gently between your teeth and then sniff some of the
gunk you unearth. If it smells bad, you smell bad.
