Many of us will suffer from bad breath at some stage in our lives. There are many reasons why someone might have bad breath, a major contributor often being the foods we consume. Understanding which foods cause bad breath, and why, is a good way to help prevent having bad breath.

Garlic

When thinking of foods that cause bad breath, Garlic is probably the most common answer that comes to mind. Although garlic causes transient bad breath that can often be fixed with a thorough cleaning of teeth or mints, it’s still an issue for many people.

Dairy Products

Milk and other dairy products can leave you with bad breath, when bacteria in your mouth break down the protein compounds in particles of food left in your mouth after consumption. As with consuming garlic, milk provides a transient health problem which can be solved by thoroughly cleaning your teeth.

Sugary Foods

Ingesting Sugary foods is bad for your teeth and therefore bad for your breath. Sugary foods can have a much more devastating effect on your oral health than just bad breath. Sugar creates a layer over the teeth and at the base of teeth which is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and plaque. Bacteria and Plaque in the mouth, eating away at tooth enamel, creates bad breath. When consuming Sugary Foods it is important to be mindful of how much you are consuming and, where possible, clean your teeth immediately after eating, or chew sugar free gum.

Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks

As with sugary foods, Sport and Energy drinks cause not only bad breath, but can also cause long term dental problems when consumed regularly. Most Sport and Energy Drinks contain sugar which, as mentioned previously, can cause bad breath and be harmful to your oral hygiene. Both Sport and Energy Drinks are often very acidic, which corrodes away tooth enamel, the protective coating of our teeth. As stated previously, mass amounts of bacteria in the mouth will generally cause bad breath.

Fruits and Fruit Juices

Although fruits do not contain any processed sugars or acids, they can often contain many natural sugars and acids. As previously stated in this article, sugars and acids create breeding areas for bacteria in our mouth, which causes bad breath. Fruit juices often contain a lot of added sugar and are very acidic. Fruits that are likely to cause bad breath include oranges, watermelon and pineapple, due to their sweetness and acidity.

Although the foods listed above are known for causing bad breath, they can often be complemented with foods that promote good breath and oral hygiene such as Swiss cheese and protein containing foods. In many cases, regular teeth brushing or chewing sugar free gum is an excellent way to expel transient bad breath which is caused by food.

Jeremy is a multi award winning Oral Hygienist from Australia. One of the most common concerns from his patients is consistant bad breath which is often a result of their diet. Away from work, Jeremy enjoys walking his dogs, watching the football and playing video games.