We all know that foods like garlic, onions, and fish cause bad breath. But most people don’t know why. As we mentioned in another article, it’s important to understand the underlying cause of bad breath…
“The mass majority of bad breath is caused by gases known as ‘volatile sulfur compounds’ (or VSC’s for short). These are the by-product of harmful bacteria that live in your mouth, and predominantly (80% of them) on your tongue. These bacteria thrive when your mouth is dry. Simply because they hate oxygen, and your saliva is full of naturally occurring oxygen. So the drier your mouth, the more bacteria grows, and the more they release stinky VSC’s into every exhale you make.”
Garlic and onions actually increase the presence of sulfur and VSC’s in your mouth. For some reason, those sulfuric smells aren’t pleasing to the human nose. They end up being rather repulsive. So for the sake of our social life, it’s best to clear up the VSC’s as much as possible.
There are three main food groups that ramp up the bacteria that create these foul smelling sulfur compounds.
1. Alcohol
This stuff dries out your mouth more than anything – essentially halting the production of saliva altogether. It’s one of the reasons why it is important to avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes.
2. Sugar
You know that bacteria causing all the VSC’s? Well they are sugar-holics. They thrive on the stuff. Increase the sugar, and you increase the harmful bacteria in your mouth. So if your gum and mints are filled with sugar, you aren’t doing your breath any favors. It’s best to opt for gum that is sweetened with xylitol, which has natural cavity-fighting properties.
3. Acidic Foods
It’s commonly known in science that acidic environments spur on the growth rate of bacteria. Do your best to reach for foods that are more alkaline, such as vegetables. The most common acidic culprits are coffee, tomato juice, pineapple juice, all citrus juices, sodas, pasta sauce, ketchup, pickles, fatty meats, olives, butter, and chocolate.
By avoiding these foods, scraping your tongue daily, and using a mouthwash that neutralizes VSC’s, you can easily treat all kinds of chronic bad breath.
We Want to Hear from You…
Comment below! What are your favorite healthy dishes?
