Foods and Drinks that Cause Bad Breath

Bad breath is a real stinker. But kidding aside, you know just how much bad breath can affect you when you’re in a social setting, even if this means being with friends and family. It can lead to self-consciousness and social anxiety, not to mention some amount of embarrassment. Since bad breath (which also goes by halitosis, a term you’ve probably heard before) is often caused by plaque and bacteria in your mouth, you can usually combat it by brushing and flossing. However, there are some problem foods that can leave your breath smelling not-so-sweet even after you’ve brushed and flossed.

The team here at our Harrisburg cosmetic dentistry office understands this, so we figured it’d be a good idea to identify some of the different foods and beverages that can cause your breath to smell.

One food that everyone knows causes bad breath is garlic. This distinctly odorous little bulb can leave your breath smelling even after a thorough brushing and flossing. It’s a good idea to take it easy on the garlic if you can.

Garlic is part of the onion family and, wouldn’t you know it, onions can also linger awhile on your breath. Like garlic, be cautious with onions.

One kind of bad breath is so distinct that there’s a name reserved just for it: coffee breath. Yes, coffee can leave your breath smelling mighty strong. One reason that coffee can cause bad breath is that it dries out your mouth, which is an ideal situation for the bacteria that causes bad breath. It’s a good idea to rinse your mouth and drink a glass of water having coffee to help reduce your case of coffee breath.

Alcoholic beverages can also give you a bad case of bad breath. Part of it has to do with alcohol drying out your mouth, but part of it also has to do with the strong smell that some liquors leave behind. As with coffee, try to rinse and keep your mouth moist to limit the effects that alcohol will have on your breath.

For more information on what you can do to prevent or treat bad breath as well as other important dental health and dental care issues, please contact our Harrisburg cosmetic dentistry office today. During a consultation in our office, we’ll be able to address your concerns and answer your questions in greater detail, whether it involves Harrisburg dental fillings or another matter.