|
Categories - Copywriting - Shopping - Free Online Business Help - Telecommunications
Services
Articles: Food - Foods
that Cause Bad Breath
By Dr. Harold
Katz
Did you know that
there are specific foods that may lead to bad breath? This is
because of volatile sulfur compounds - the culprit in causing bad
breath!
For example, if food sits out too long it
will spoil. That spoiling action is due to anaerobic bacteria
breaking down proteins in that particular food. In milk, the odor of
sour milk is caused by relatives of the bugs that create bad breath
when they break down proteins in the milk (and basically in all
dairy foods). A reaction takes place where 'the bad breath bugs'
extract sulfur compounds from the amino acids in these proteins.
Specifically, the amino acid Cysteine is converted to Hydrogen
Sulfide (which has a rotten egg smell) and Methionine becomes Methyl
Mercaptan (which smells like a cross between old socks and garlic).
The same analogy applies to meat if it sits out too
long.
Everyone knows
that onions and garlic will create bad breath. But do you know why?
It's because the odorous molecules in onions and garlic are actually
sulfur compounds themselves called Mercaptans. Sulfur is nature's
way of creating odors. You're all familiar with the skunk. Its odor
is created by a defense and/or attack mechanism. Skunk odor is made
up of skatoles, which are naturally occurring sulfur compounds. In a
similar fashion, bacteria in your mouth creates the volatile sulfur
compounds of bad breath and taste disorders.
There are 4
food categories that will result in an increase of sulfur production
because these categories have a stimulating affect on the bacteria
that cause bad breath:
1. Drying Agents
2. Dense Protein
Foods
3. Sugars
4. Acidic Foods
The most common
drying agent in food is alcohol. Alcohol of course, is the basis of
all "adult" beverages such as beer, wine, and hard liquor. It is
also used, unfortunately, in many mouthwashes you find in the
grocery stores, which only makes a bad breath problem worse.
Alcohol, known chemically as a desiccant, is used quite
often in laboratories to "dry out" hard to reach areas in test tubes
and beakers. The same end result takes place in the oral cavity.
Although cigarettes are not really food, smoking is probably
the quickest way to dry out your mouth, with alcohol being the
second. If you smoke, you are bound to have bad
breath!
Dairy foods are notorious for creating bad
breath. An article that appeared in the "Los Angeles Times" once
noted that over 50% of the population in Southern California was
"lactose intolerant". With regards to bad breath, many of these
people (numbering in the tens of millions) end up with more dense
proteins available as bad breath fuel for the bacteria than those
who have no problem with dairy foods like milk, cheese, yogurt, ice
cream, etc. The end result is a buildup of amino acids, which are
easily converted into volatile sulfur compounds by the anaerobic
bacteria found within the surface of your tongue and throat.
To a lesser extent, people have the same problem with other
types of food that are considered to be dense in protein such as
beef, chicken, and fish.
Another problem, thankfully rare,
has to do with people who have an inability to break down certain
proteins found in beans. This condition is called TMA
(Trimethylaminuria) and is sometimes known as the "Fish Odor
Syndrome," because the odor produced is similar to decaying fish.
The odor consists of sulfur compounds, plus nitrogen compounds
(amines). People with this condition must abstain from beans and
other types of food that are dense in protein.
Wouldn't
it be great if we could get rid of bad breath by chewing on
M&Ms? Or what if the cure for bad breath were Hershey Kisses?
That's what the makers of Altoids would have you believe. Altoids,
and other products of the same ilk, are trying to fool the public
into believing that a strong "good" taste in your mouth is
equivalent to the "freshness" of your breath. This is so
anti-scientific it's absurd! If you think about it for a minute, it
really doesn't make any sense.
By using concentrated mint
flavorings, your taste buds pick up mint as a taste. However,
Altoids contains two types of sugar which again, are a fuel for the
bacteria to reproduce and create more sulfur compounds - thus bad
breath. In addition, the frightening part is that other bacteria can
take the sugars and produce glycan strands, which in turn end up
causing thick layers of plaque on the enamel of your teeth and
around your gums. This leads to tooth decay and gum disease - and
you guessed it - worse breath than you started with!
Since
you can't smell your own breath, you just go merrily along with that
great strong mint taste in your mouth, while others close to you are
backing away - backing away from your increased bad breath, decayed
teeth, and gross, swollen, bleeding gums!
Stay away from
candies, mints, and chewing gum if they contain sugar! Instead, let
me recommend an alternative created by TheraBreath called the
TheraBreath Oxygenating Chewing Gum
(http://www.therabreath.com/products.asp?CAT=5). It releases Oxygen
molecules directly into your mouth and also contains the
antibacterial agent, Zinc Gluconate. This agent is found in many
cold medications. In addition it contains Xylitol, which is a
natural sweetening agent with an anti-decay
compound.
Foods with a high acidic content are a
problem as well. pH is a term used to describe the acidity of an
environment. The oral cavity has a normal pH of 6.5 (7 is considered
neutral). Some of the foods you should watch out for are coffee and
many citrus juices. Both decaffeinated and regular coffee contain
acids. However, tea is okay. Among the citrus juices the ones with
the highest acidic content include tomato juice, orange juice,
pineapple juice, and grapefruit juice.
We know that acids
make the bacteria reproduce much faster. In order to decrease the
production of odorous sulfur compounds, the acid environment needs
to be neutralized.
Avoiding foods that contribute to,
if not cause, bad breath is vital if you want to have clean fresh
breath. While this is a difficult task, being aware of these bad
breath causing elements is the first step in developing confidence
in your breath. In addition, it is important to use oral care
products that are free of alcohol, sugar, and that also have a high
pH level.
Dr. Harold Katz is the worldwide expert on
the topics of bad breath, halitosis, and dry mouth. Searching for a
bad breath solution? To receive your FREE copy of his easy-to-read
"Bad Breath Bible" visit: http://www.TheraBreath.com/web/art/L-FTCBB.asp
|
