Bad breath can be caused by a whole range of different things, such as your genetics and your oral health, however one element that you have a lot of control over when it comes to bad breath is your diet. There are some obvious foods that cause bad breath, such as things like garlic or tinned fish, however we’re going to be highlighting some of the more surprising foods that can cause bad breath. We will also talk about some of the foods that help to freshen your breath! This way, you can recognise patterns in your diet and try out different things to reduce the odour.

3 Key Foods That Can Cause Bad Breath

Tomatoes

First up we have tomatoes! They are naturally very acidic, and acidic foods are known to encourage the growth of bacteria in the mouth that can contribute to bad breath. We tend to consume quite a lot of tomato based foods, such as curries, pasta sauces and salads, and although you might not experience bad breath straight away, when you eat a lot of tomatoes it definitely builds up over time. So, if you’re eating a lot of tomatoes and are experiencing bad breath, perhaps reduce your tomato intake slightly, or make sure you’re drinking water after you eat tomatoes to wash away as much of the residue as possible, to reduce the amount of bacteria that forms.

High Protein Foods

Another type of food that can cause bad breath is high protein foods! When you eat protein in excess of what your body is used to, your body will produce excess amino acids. When these amino acids combine with the bacteria in the mouth, it produces an unpleasant smell which can cause bad breath. As with the tomatoes, having a good drink of water after you’ve eaten a high protein meal will help to minimise this. You should also floss and brush thoroughly each evening, whether you eat high protein or not, just to ensure any residue is completely removed, to prevent tooth decay.

Sugary Foods

We all know that sugar is bad for our teeth, as it can cause tooth decay when excess bacteria is produced to break down the sugar, and this combination results in acid being produced, which can cause tooth decay. However, something people often don’t realise is that this bacteria and acid produced also can cause bad breath! So, reducing sugary foods and drinks in your diet overall is always advised.

3 Key Foods That Can Help To Reduce Bad Breath

Crunchy Vegetables

First up in our list of key foods that can help to reduce bad breath is crunchy vegetables! Foods like carrots, cucumber, celery and peppers are great natural teeth cleaners, helping to remove plaque from the teeth and also remove food residue, both of which can cause bad breath. Additionally, the crunchy element means our mouth has to work harder to break down the food, which results in additional saliva being produced, which also helps to wash away damaging residue! Not to mention, this also strengthens your jaw which is great for your overall oral health.

The high nutrient content of these foods will also help to naturally help your skin to be healthy!

Green Tea

Green tea is another great food (or technically drink) that can help to reduce bad breath. It contains antioxidants that can help to fight the bacteria that cause the odour, so incorporating a few cups between all of your other meals can help to reduce the build up of bacteria throughout the day before you have a chance to properly brush, floss and mouthwash.

Parsley

Parsley is a great food to incorporate into your diet, as not only do the essential oils in the herb naturally freshen breath, but they also contain chlorophyll that can completely kill the bacteria that causes the bad breath! So, add them into your salads and soups to help with your breath!

Other Things To Consider That Might Cause Bad Breath

So, hopefully you’ve learnt a couple of foods to reduce and a few foods to eat more of to help reduce your bad breath! This being said, there are some things that are mostly out of your control. For example, perhaps you have crooked teeth and bacteria from food is easily getting stuck between your teeth, so you might need Invisalign aligners to help reduce this issue. 

If you’ve had cosmetic work like veneers or dental implants, this could be a sign that there is an issue, so you might need to go back to your dentist and get it checked. You might need to use an alkaline mouthwash if you have a particularly acidic mouth. So, although you can change your diet, it’s also important to go to your dentist if this is an ongoing issue, as it could be a sign of a larger problem.