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5 foods that fight bad breath

Updated on November 14, 2016

The best ways to fight Halitosis

What Causes Bad Breath?

Bad breath is caused by plaque that builds up in your mouth. This is another reason why yogurt is great- plaque buildup causes odors in the mouth and yogurt helps to fight and reduce plaque. In recent studies yogurt was proven to reduce the risk of plaque and gum disease. In addition to yogurt, Vitamin C is also a great way to fight gum disease and plaque that contribute to breath that smells bad. Berries, melons, as well as citrus fruits are great for regulating germs that build up in the mouth. Keep in mind that over 90% of bad breath comes from bacteria on the tongue, so it is important that you brush your tongue when you brush your teeth as well. By brushing your tongue, you will be scraping off odorous bacteria that cause halitosis.

Remedies for Bad breath or Garlic Breath

Bad breath, we all have experienced it at some time or another. However, there are many natural remedies for bad breath that do a great job of preventing it. Of course, there are certain products like Listerine as well as other oral products that can help to prevent bad breath and get rid of garlic breath. But there are also numerous ways to cure bad breath naturally and prevent it in the future.

Bad breath is caused by two primary factors: Oral Hygiene and gastrointestinal health. Fortunately, there are plenty of foods that help to fight bad breath. Foods that fight bad breath are primarily foods that are rich in fiber. Foods that are rich in fiber are fruits and vegetables. However, not all fruits and vegetables fight bad breath. Onions and garlic are notorious for breath that smells bad, but that doesn't mean that you should avoid them because they contain essential nutrients that help to detoxify your body as well ask keep you healthy. Despite what you may have heard, onions and garlic do not cause bad breath in the long term. Rather, when your breath smells bad, the most common causes are related to oral hygiene and a lack of certain foods that help to keep you breath smelling fresh.

Foods that Fight Bad Breath

There are many ways of preventing bad breath, additionally there are plenty of foods that naturally help prevent gross smells. Parsley is a great halitosis-fighting herb that works to fight off germs in your mouth that cause bad breath. Additionally Coriander, Spearmint, Mint leaves, Tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are all great for fighting bad breath and promoting oral health. Chewing on fresh herbs like these or by making a tea out of the herbs are a great way to regulate oral health. Not only are these herbs great for fighting bad smells that from the mouth, but they also great for digestion.

Yogurt is also a great way to promote oral hygiene. Recent studies show that eating yogurt frequently helps to reduce odor-causing hydrogen sulfide that exists in the mouth. Additionally, it also helps fight harmful odor-causing bacteria in the mouth, as well as plaque and gum disease. The American Dental Association recoomends that you get enough Vitamin D from yogurt, cheese and milk if halitosis is a big concern of yours. Vitamin D fights bad breath by creating a inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. If you do use yogurt to promote oral hygiene, its best that you eat yogurt with active cultures. Active cultures can be described as yogurt that is not processed excessively and it is also important that it is not processed with excessive sugar-added varieties. Basically look for yogurt in its most natural form, not only will it help to fight bacteria in the mouth, but it will also contain pro-biotics that aid in digestion.

Keeping your breath smelling great can also be accomplished by including fruits and vegetables that are not only vital to digestion, but also great for keeping your breath smelling fresh. Some of these fruits and vegetables include Apples, celery, carrots, and any other fruit or vegetable that is rich in fiber. Apples, celery, and carrots help to increase saliva production in the mouth which helps to keep the mouth rinsed out. By keeping your mouth rinsed out, you reduce the chance of lingering odors that could exist in the mouth. The more saliva-producing foods you eat, the more odor-fighting saliva you have to flush out bad odors in the mouth.

Great ways of Masking Bad Breath

There are a few good ways of masking bad breath. Solutions such as Listerine and other mouthwash only work to a certain point and sugarless gum should not replace brushing your teeth after a meal. However it can help to freshen up your breath and increase saliva production. The more you increase your saliva production, the more you filter out plaque and bacteria that cause bad breath. Mints can help, and mint leaves are a great thing to chew on as they can help to relieve bad breath. However, I do not actually eat mint leaves I just chew them for about thirty seconds and spit them out. Sugarless gum is much better than gum with sugar as it does not increase the chance of cavities. Sugar tends to increase the chance of cavities as well as plaque, so sugarless gum is definitely the best choice.

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