Dentist
Bad breath-also called halitosis-can
be caused by tiny food particles that
get trapped in your teeth and gums
and attract bacteria (known as plaque).
The first step to a fresh mouth is to
floss daily and
brush your teeth and
tongue (with a toothbrush or tongue
scraper) twice a day. In addition, use a
mouthwash that carries the American
Dental Association seal-this ensures
the product will kill germs, not just
mask odors. Dry mouth due to dehydration,
sleeping with your mouth
open, or taking prescription medications
like antidepressants can also lead
to bad breath because a lack of saliva
promotes the growth of bacteria. (This
is why morning breath is so common.)
Chew sugarless gum-it will cover
odors and increase your saliva production.
If bad breath persists, you should
see your dentist.
-Kimberly A. Harms, D.D.S., a
practicing dentist in Farmington,
Minn., and spokesperson for the
American Dental Association
Nutritionist
Eat crunchy foods like apples, carrots,
or celery after meals-they help scrape
plaque off teeth. Instead of avoiding
garlic, which can help lower cholesterol
but can cause bad breath,
chew on
spearmint, tarragon, rosemary, parsley,
or eucalyptus for 30 to 60 seconds
afterward to freshen your mouth. Book
an appointment with a nutritionist
to pinpoint exactly which foods are
triggering your halitosis-and how
to eliminate them safely from your
diet. Sometimes bad breath is caused
by an underlying medical condition
such as acid reflux or gastritis (inflammation
of the stomach lining). You
can help manage these conditions by
having smaller, more frequent meals
and waiting three hours after eating
before going to bed or taking a nap. If
symptoms like heartburn, belching, or
nausea persist, see your doctor.
-Keri M. Gans, R.D., spokesperson for
the American Dietetic Association and
host of Diet Diva, a weekly public access
television show in New York City
TCM Practitioner
According to Traditional Chinese
Medicine, bad breath is caused by
excess heat in the stomach that eventually
affects the oral cavity. To rebalance
your body, you should
avoid milk,
coffee, alcohol, sugar, and spicy or fried
foods, which can disrupt your normal
enzyme and acid levels, thus generating
heat. If, after eliminating these
foods from your diet, your bad breath
persists, you can also
take activated
charcoal tablets. Charcoal is a popular
folk remedy: It can bind to some of
the odor-producing sulfur compounds
in foods and fluids and remove them
from your body. Follow the dosage on
the bottle-usually it's two capsules
after a meal. Acupuncture also helps
treat bad breath by balancing body
heat. A licensed acupuncturist can
develop a personalized treatment
program for you.
-Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac., coauthor
of Between Heaven and Earth
(Ballantine, 1992) and the website
www.chinese-medicine-works.com
