The Connection Between Diet and Bad Breath

Many people are aware that there is a connection between diet and bad breath but they tend to be mistaken about the actual nature of that relationship. While spicy foods and things like garlic and onions will in fact cause short term problems with bad breath, they are not truly responsible for chronic halitosis. What happens when we consume garlic, onions, and similarly offensive foods is a matter of metabolism.

The body breaks down the foods into their constituent nutrients and other molecules. These molecules then become absorbed in the blood stream which then circulates through the body. When the blood passes through the lungs, some of the food molecules are absorbed and then exhaled-this is your short term bad breath. However, this is not the chronic bad breath that most of us worry about because it goes away after the foods have completely passed out of the body.

Where chronic bad breath and diet are concerned, you should be more concerned about what you are eating because you are also feed an entire population of bacteria that are living in your mouth. The bacteria that actually cause chronic halitosis or bad breath feed upon whatever you happen to be eating. Although it may sound strange, the bacteria prefer some foods over others-such as proteins. In fact, proteins actually help these bacteria grow at a faster rate and thus produce more of the sulfur compounds that are the actual substances we associate with bad breath. Foods high in protein known to increase the reproductive rates of bacteria that create halitosis problems include:

• Meat products-especially poultry and red meat
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Milk
• Cheese
• Fish

You can help lower the reproductive rates of bacteria by simply replacing high protein foods with raw fruits and vegetables. If this is a more drastic step than you are willing to take in order to alleviate problems with bad breath, try brushing after every meal to cut down on the food particles available to the bacteria for feeding.

Another way in which diet may lead to problems with bad breath is to curtail carbohydrate intake. As with the Atkins or South Beach diets, carbohydrate intake is lowered until a state of ketosis is created in which the body turns to fat stores for its energy needs. Ketones help maintain the ketosis and alter blood chemistry in a way that tends to create bad breath symptoms. Also, a low-carb diet tends to be diuretic, or lead to dehydration-another common factor in causing halitosis.

Ketosis will go away along with the chronic bad breath once carbohydrate intake is raised. You can help alleviate the symptoms of bad breath by simply drinking more water and chewing on gum or sucking on hard candy in order to stimulate salivation. Some natural foods to chew on that will both increase salivation and help treat bad breath are:

• Thyme
• Coriander
• Parsley
• Mint
• Fennel Seeds

While the connection between diet and bad breath may not have been as you thought, it is quite true that the foods you consume play a pivotal role in the fight against halitosis. For an all natural product that helps stimulate salivation as well as help kill the harmful anaerobic bacteria inside your mouth, try OraMD®. Our product works so well that we unconditionally guarantee your total satisfaction with our - no quibble, money-back guarantee - no matter how many you order.

Learn more about OraMD® and diet bad breath.