Food and Bad Breath

We often suspect that there is a connection between food and bad breath: the mouth might taste a little strange after a meal containing spicy food or food with strong flavors, and certain foods such as cucumbers and raw onions tend to be followed by burping and breath which tastes, to us, rather unpleasant. These problems are transient however, and tend to pass within a few hours, the question is, does food really cause bad breath? It can do so in a number of ways that researchers in the field are just beginning to understand. The important ones are those that foster the proliferation of anaerobes - bacteria that live in the mouth and produce sulfur compounds with a foul odor.

Some of the known foods that cause bad breath are drying agents - they cause a decrease in the amount of saliva in the mouth. Saliva flushes out the oral cavity, kills off harmful organisms, and keeps the oral tissues healthy. When there is too little of it, food particles and other proteins remain in the mouth and begin to break down. They feed anaerobic bacteria, which are not being washed away. The delicate cells lining the mouth can start to break down. All of this promotes the proliferation of anaerobes and their bad smelling byproducts. Alcohol and tobacco are both notorious drying agents; however, anything that dries out your mouth can forge the link between food and bad breath.

Foods high in protein or sugar, and those with an acid pH have also been identified as foods that cause bad breath. In each case, the foods promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Protein breaks down in the mouth producing amino acids, which bacteria eagerly consume and use as cell building blocks, much as our own bodies use amino acids to build and repair tissue. Sugary foods provide carbohydrate energy for cell metabolism, and acid foods create a low pH that many bacteria love. In the end, food and bad breath are related to each other because the same nutrients that feed us also feed the bacteria that cause bad breath. If we keep our mouths clean and healthy, brushing and rinsing after eating, there will be less for bacteria to eat.

Spices and strong flavored foods cause an unpleasant odor on the breath, and sometimes it is related to sulfur compounds; however, these odors do not originate with oral bacteria. They are directly related to the odor or the digestion of the food itself and thus, disappear after a few hours - a day at most. Typical foods that cause bad breath in this manner are spices such as curry, cumin, and paprika, onion, garlic, strong cheeses, fish, smoked products, and fermented foods. Those who love these foods shouldn't have to give them up: use breath mints (avoid sugar) or other breath fresheners to mitigate the problem. Remember, too, that food and bad breath can be related in an opposite way: certain herbs and spices, such as mint, parsley, cilantro, cloves, and cardamom are great natural foods for freshening the breath.

Drugs and Bad Breath

There are various factors that cause an offensive odor on the breath - when it comes to drugs and bad breath, there can be both a direct and indirect relationship between cause and effect. First of all, a number of prescription drugs result in a rather chemical flavor and odor to the breath, particularly immediately after a medication has been taken orally. The best course in these cases is to wait it out - the effect generally fades with time - or mask it with breath mints until it passes. If it is so bothersome and offensive that waiting it out is not an option, discuss alternate medications with your physician.

The other way that drugs cause bad breath is generally by interfering with the flow of saliva and thereby causing a dry mouth. This is important, because saliva has many functions in keeping the mouth healthy. Saliva continually flushes the tissues in the oral cavity, carrying away bacteria, debris, shed skin cells etc. This, in turn, reduces the amount of offensive sulfur compounds produced in the mouth by bacteria breaking down proteins. Saliva also contains molecules and cells involved in immunity. These help to maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms in the oral cavity and fight off any invading organisms that might set up an infection or multiply to sufficient numbers to cause an odor. It's been well documented that a lack of saliva flushing the mouth is sometimes due to drugs and bad breath is often the result.

A number of common drugs cause bad breath: antihistamines, certain antidepressants, antiparkinson drugs, drugs for high blood pressure, diuretics and antipsychotic drugs have all been implicated, as well as some others. Patients undergoing anticancer therapy often suffer from dry mouth as well, as a result of their treatment. Patients who suspect that they are dealing with a combination of drugs and bad breath should consult their health care practitioner. It's not a good idea to stop taking a prescription without medical advice because that drug might be important to good health. It may be, however, that there is an alternative drug available, or there may be strategies to combat the drying effect in the mouth. Bear in mind that the best solution in this case is likely to be something that increases moisture in the mouth rather than a mouthwash or breath mint that simply masks the odor (remember, too, that some mouthwashes contain alcohol, an ingredient that will only add to mouth dryness).

Bad breath usually results from the growth and metabolic byproducts of anaerobic bacteria that live in the mouth. In a case of drugs and bad breath, the direct cause is the same - bacteria - but unlike many other cases, here, the indirect cause, or underlying cause, is easier to identify. This can make it an easier problem to deal with as well. If the offending drug has to be continued long term and no other solution has been identified, the long term solution to bad breath will probably be regular use of a mouthwash that targets the odor producing bacteria. Fortunately, there are a number of good products on the market today that can help. There's no doubt that some drugs cause bad breath, but it's also true that our understanding of halitosis and our knowledge of ways to prevent are increasing all the time.