Tuesday 17 February 2009

Top 5 Foods to Prevent Bad Breath Caused by Oral hygiene and Gastrointestinal Health



Top 5 Foods to Prevent Bad Breath Caused by Oral hygiene and Gastrointestinal Health

Bad breath (Halitosis) results from two key issues -
1/ Oral hygiene
2/ Gastrointestinal Health

Basically this means that breath odors originate not just inside the mouth but also from your digestive tract.

This report says that there is a misconception bad breath comes because of not brushing the teeth only, but there is another factor gastrointestinal health. They says the main reason is largely due to the bacteria in both cases oral hygiene and gastrointestinal health. Doctors usually diagnose bad breath problems from not eating right, that is not getting a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, protein, carbs and plenty of fluids (water) to keep the gastrointestinal tract healthy and brushing and flossing after every meal.

Listed below are the following foods that one can eat to prevent bad breath (Halitosis):

1. Chew on this.
Dr. Christine Gerbstadt recommends the following herbs in food intake, Coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom" all help in fighting bad breadth. One can either chew these fresh herbs or make hot teas or tonics by steeping these herbs in hot water. Dr. Gerbstadt says these herbs help digestion as well as prevent bad breath. These herbs are easy to grow, so you can either have in homes and have it after meals. I am not sure about the effect of dried herbs, fresh herbs will do an effective job.

2. Get some active culture.
A Study found that a serving of yogurt after every meal each day reduces the odor causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. It also cuts back on bacteria in the mouth which reduces plaque and gum disease for those who eat yogurt daily. A recent study found that a serving of yogurt each day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. Plus, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends getting enough vitamin D from yogurt, cheese and milk if you’re worried about halitosis because this vitamin creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. Since there are many type of yogurt, the study recommends to get yogurt with active cultures. Some cultures take Yogurt along with the meal, India and Middle eastern people. It is healthy and safe.

3. Crunchy types.
Apples, carrots, celery, basically any fiber, rich fruit or vegetable is your friend when it comes to fighting halitosis. Cynthia Sass, ADA spokeswoman and registered dietitian recommends these fruits. Many carbs and proteins get stuck in the teeth, eating foods like this will keep the mouth moist and rinse out all the plaque and bacteria inside the teeth. So eating these fruits on a daily basis helps fight halitosis. So, they recommend to eat one of these fruits after every meal.

4. Masking techniques.
Chewing gum after meal is a good one, and only sugarless gum should be used, it creates the same effect as the Apple, keeps the mouth moist and rinses away plaque and bacteria. Mint does the same effect, but sugarless gum does better after the meal. Chewing gum with Sugar is not good, because sugar creates plaque by itself.

5. High Vitamin C’s.
Eating berries, citrus fruits, melons and other vitamin C-rich foods create an inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. Increase in vitamin intake will help fight gum disease and gingivitis, both major causes of halitosis. Get plenty of vitamin C in the foods you take not supplements, the later can cause some gastrointestinal problems and cause more bad breath.

Source: Digital Journal - http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/163637

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

Top 5 Foods to Prevent Bad Breath Caused by Oral hygiene and Gastrointestinal Health

No comments: