5 foods that fight bad breath

Are you worried your friends and colleagues may be getting bowled over by your breath? Bad breath affects over half of us. It can be caused by a bunch of factors, including plaque, inflammation of the gums and decay in the mouth, smoking or even medication. It’s also often caused by something we’ve eaten. ‘We all know that garlic makes it worse,’ says Julie Linzel, a dental hygienist in Charlottetown.

Good oral hygiene, of course, is still the best way to keep your breath sweet. But some kinds of food and drink can actually fight bad breath. Go ahead and grab one of these five choices to freshen your breath between meals.

1. Say cheese (and yogurt)

‘A piece of cheese after you’ve eaten can neutralize some of those dietary acids, which may be stuck on your teeth and giving you that bad breath odour,’ says Linzel.

A serving of unsweetened yogurt can also help. A small Japanese study found that volunteers with halitosis who ate yogurt twice a day had reduced levels of hydrogen sulfide, a compound that can cause bad breath.

The bonus? Canadian dairy products are fortified with vitamin D. Research has shown that both vitamin D and calcium may benefit oral health.

2. Munch on stuff with crunch

Since it’s the soft and sticky foods that are most likely to be trapped on your teeth, causing bacteria buildup and bad odours, reach for a snack that’s neither. Apples, carrots and celery all scrub your teeth as you eat, helping to strip away those leftover bits of raisin Danish.

3. Have a cuppa

The polyphenols or compounds in black tea may help your breath in two ways: First, they prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause foul breath. Second, they decrease the bacteria’s production of stinky byproducts. Black tea has also been shown to help prevent tooth decay; so all in all, this steaming beverage makes for a good mouth freshener! One thing to beware: too much caffeine can dry out your mouth. Since that can also do a number on your breath, keep your tea intake to a moderate level, or go for decaf.

4. Sugarless candies and gum

Any snack that increases saliva flow in your mouth, like sugar-free candy or gum, will help reduce odour in your mouth, says Linzel. Wondering what flavour to opt for? Mint may temporarily mask a bad smell. Cinnamon, on the other hand, may actually help to stop it at the source. The plant essential oil that’s often used for flavouring cinnamon gums and candies, known as cinnamic aldehyde, can reduce odour-causing bacteria.

5. Wet your whistle with water

A dry mouth can make your breath pretty unbearable. In some ways, water acts like artificial saliva, since it can wash away those leftover bits of garlic bread. Keep a water bottle in your workspace’your colleagues will likely thank you for it.