Top 4 Foods That Cause Bad Breath

Brushing, flossing and rinsing are all great ways to keep your mouth healthy and clean. But for all your defensive manoeuvring your breath will, from time to time, still get a little unpleasant. Not to worry though. Here’s a look at some of the key offenders:

#1: Garlic

While it’s not surprising garlic would make the list, what might shock you is how garlic can leave its sulphurous mark on more than just your tongue. Garlic is also absorbed into your bloodstream, enabling a secondary wave of odour to make its way into your lungs, where it can freely escape through the mouth. Once absorbed, garlic then emits a bitter scent from your pores. None of this, however, should be reason to swear off garlic completely. Just try not to overdo it and, when you’re finished, flush your mouth of garlic residue by brushing and flossing. Also remember to rinse twice daily.³¹

#2: Onions

Like garlic, the odour of onions lingers long after you’ve finished eating them. That’s because they both contain sulphur compounds that get absorbed into your bloodstream and return when you least expect it. Give yourself an extra layer of protection by brushing, flossing and rinsing.³¹

#3: Acidic Foods

The bacteria that cause bad breath thrive on the acidic environment resulting from low pH foods such as lemons, oranges and tomatoes. It is therefore important to each such foods in moderation.³²

#4: Foods That Get Stuck in the Mouth

Consuming certain foods are a risk to developing bad breath. This is because they are either fibrous or sticky, therefore can easily get stuck in between teeth. Odour-causing bacteria then feed on these leftover pieces of food and cause bad breath. To avoid this, be sure to brush, floss and rinse after eating foods like these.³²