Do you have bad breath? Or do you have a friend whose breath makes you cringe, but you find yourself struggling to let them know about it? Sometimes, your breath or your friend’s breath may not be permanent. There are also foods or drinks that can cause instant bad breath - sometimes a simple lunch can ruin your greetings!
After consulting a dentist for his bad breath problem, Dollah has been speaking more confidently than before as we met up for lunch at the cafeteria. Shalini also joined us, carrying her routine low-carb lunch box.
“Hey, Shalini. Did you know that taking too much protein in one meal can cause bad breath? And you have your appointments to attend to in the afternoon too!” said Dollah excitedly.
We were surprised - this was the first time Dollah actually spoke out against Shalini on her diet!
Turns out, the dentist had also advised Dollah on how to avoid bad breaths through his diet - and here he is sharing his thoughts to us!
First, however, do you know if you have bad breath? Sometimes we may not be aware of our own breaths until someone is kind enough to let us know! So here are some methods you can use to check if you have bad breath:
One simple way is to lick your wrist with the back of your tongue, wait until it is dry, and then take a sniff. The smell you get when you inhale is the smell of your breath. Alternatively, you can scrape the back of your tongue using a scraper or a small spoon, then take a sniff of it. You can also ask a friend or your dentist if your breath smells while speaking.
Foods or drinks that cause instant bad breath
We need not necessarily avoid these foods per se, but if we do have an appointment or a date coming up in an hour, we should certainly avoid these foods or drinks in our meals of the day!
1. Onions & Garlics
Widely recognised as the ‘kings and queens’ of bad breath, onions and garlics contain the notorious compound of allyl methyl sulfide*. These compounds have a ‘special’ and distinct odour and taste, both experienced when we prepare them in the kitchen, and enhanced when we have them in our meals. The sulfuric compounds produced when we consume onions and garlics have been found to be similar to the compounds produced by bacteria that cause bad breath on our tongues or in our oral cavity.
Besides, allyl methyl sulfide are easily absorbed. They can stick onto our oral tissues, or even absorbed into our bloodstream. No wonder vampires are also afraid of them!
Other than onions and garlics, their ‘cousins’ also contain similar compounds and can produce equally unpleasant breaths. These include shallots, leeks, and scallions.
*Allyl methyl sulfide: Allyl methyl sulfide is a chemical compound commonly found in onions and garlics. They come in the form of colourless liquid and has strong odour characteristics.
2. Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks, especially liqueurs, are treated as toxins by our body as they enter our digestive system. This leads to gas production from the stomach due to the process and conversion of toxin.
Alcohol is also diuretic - it dehydrates our oral cavity, causing dry mouth and low saliva production. Dry mouths promote bacterial growth, as saliva is capable of acting as a natural cleanser for our oral cavity. Read more on dry mouth causing bad breath here.
Alcohol can also potentially cause acid reflux for some, and gas released from the stomach during the reflux worsens one’s breath. If your bad breath is caused by acid reflux, there may be more than just oral conditions causing your bad breath, you’d want to consult a dentist!
3. Soft drinks
The high sugar content of soft drinks increase bacterial deposition on our teeth and tongue. Consequently, toxins released by bacteria while chewing on the sugars produce gas that can affect our breaths.
Ever seen commercials of soft drinks and sodas being gulped down to quench thirst? Don’t do that! If fizzy drinks are drunk fast in gulps, the gas from the drinks would only be released back through our mouths after they have mixed with other bacteria or toxins in our digestive tract - and they wouldn’t smell good!
4. Whole-meat meals
Low-carb diets like Shalini’s are popular choices for people looking to lose weight. However, these meals force our bodies to process high amounts of protein. The digestion of these proteins can produce ammonia gas, released through our breaths. Chemicals called ketones are also produced through the breaking down of fats - and ketones is the same chemical found in bad breaths! Ketones are also known to be released through our breath and sweat as well.
5. Oily and fried foods
The high oil content in foods like deep fried chicken or oil fried dishes produce toxins and gas when they are oxidised upon consumption. Foods high in oil content are also more difficult to digest, and hence stay longer in our digestive tract. This means more bacteria activity and more toxins! Oil also contains high fat content, which produces ketones during the digestive process of breaking down fats.
Additionally, highly oily foods can also leave an oil coating on our teeth, which makes a nice little camp for bacteria to stick on and feed! So Dollah - keep off those fast foods!
6. Coffee
Have you heard of the term ‘coffee breath’? Drinking coffee can leave a strong, bitter smell in our breaths. If you can smell coffee beans from 3 shops away from your favourite brewery, don’t expect any less effects after taking them into your body!
Dry mouth is also a common occurrence after drinking coffee, as caffeine in coffee slows down saliva production. Coffee breath is especially prominent if drank first thing in the morning, because we produce less saliva when we sleep at night.
Besides, coffee stains stay on our teeth for a long time. Shalini’s teeth whitening effects also wore off due to her coffee drinking habits!
7. Candy
Like our children, bacteria loooooves sweet food. Sweets with high sugar content are a good energy source for bacterial reproduction. Bacteria can feed on sweets all day and reproduce all over our oral cavity, including hard-to-reach places in between our teeth and gums or at the very back of our tongue, all the while releasing toxins into our breaths.
Candy that is sticky worsens the situation, as saliva may not be able to wash them away once they stick onto our teeth and gums.
Even though taking mints or chewing gum can help in getting rid of bad breath, the sugar in mint candy or gums can also have adverse effects, with their strong flavour acting only as a cover to mask the odour. If you want to chew on a mint or gum to freshen your breath, go for a sugar-free option!
8. Chips & Junk food
The digestive process of these usually oily food produce toxins which bring unwanted odours to our breaths. They are also difficult to digest, not only due to their oil content, but also due to their notoriously high amount of artificial flavouring and colouring. These contents are treated as toxins in our stomach, as they are unnatural chemicals as recognised by our digestive system. Chips and junk food also leave strong flavours in our mouths and digestive tracts due to their artificial manufacturing process. I used to love chips, but I guess not anymore!
9. Fish
Smell something fishy? You’re probably right!
One of the ‘least-evil villains’ in this list of bad breath culprits, fish can also lead to unwanted odours in breath if not taken carefully. Oil from fish tissue are sticky and can easily latch onto our teeth, gums or tongue. The odour produced by fish oil can be mild or strong, depending on the freshness of the fish and the cooking method (steaming the fish or eating them raw can lead to stronger fishy smell, while frying can get rid of more fishy stench from the seas). Fish oil also produce toxins upon oxidation when we chew on them in our mouths - so do drink lots of water after taking them!
10. Foods with naturally strong odour
These include your curry, durian, barbeques, and basically anything you can smell your neighbour cooking. If you find your friends being able to identify what you had for lunch based on your breath alone, you know you’ve taken a meal with strong flavours!
These odour dissipates over time, but you may want to avoid them before a date or an appointment!
“Hey, no fair! These are my staple food. I can’t get rid of all of them!” pouted Shalini.
Well of course. The best way to avoid bad breath is to practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth, floss regularly, clean your tongue, and rinse your mouth after meals! You may also want to visit a dentist near you to solve your bad breath problem, here’s when to consider a visit to a dentist for your bad breath.
At ERUFU Care, we believe in building effective communicative relationships between you and healthcare professionals. We can help you find your preferred clinic, send your enquiries, make an appointment, and more – all to make sure you get the right care you need! You can also find genuine clinic reviews from patients who’ve been to the clinic - we take initiatives to contact with you personally to ensure that you have a pleasant healthcare journey - so find a dental clinic today.
Juliet's Reminder: Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is known to affect more than 50% of the population. 90% of bad breath problems are caused by oral conditions, while the remaining 10% may be caused by other medical issues. Usually due to bacterial deposition in our mouths, bad breath can also stem from other problems only identifiable by a dental professional.
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