Bad Breath Causes and Solutions

Bad breath is an unwelcome visitor that can disrupt social interactions and damage personal confidence. However, while a dental condition like halitosis may be constant, halitosis is often fleeting. Sometimes, a single food can introduce bad breath. And among the halitosis-causing foods, sugary candy is one of the worst.

Tongue-Resident Monster: The Most Visible Sight

Bad breath is, in effect, invisible. You cannot hold it in your hand or pin it to a board. Unless, perhaps, you have a cartoonish green monster living on your tongue. The monster serves as a visual stand-in for bad breath on screen. This monster is a clever illustration of a common myth—most people who have bad breath don't know it. They only see the monster if they're looking for it. The extension is that halitosis can sneak up on everyone. The tongue also serves as a lovely visual anchor for the piece. Halitosis is an effect of the buildup of bacteria and food debris, often encouraged by the tongue's papillae. The tongue's texture acts as breeding grounds for bacteria, turning organic food debris into release of foul-smelling sulfur compounds. The accumulation on the back of the tongue is especially problematic; this area's proximity to the throat means the odor compounds quickly enter the air stream.

Taste of the Problem: Bad Breath Catalysts

Bad breath can't be caused by a single food item. But there are high-profile culprits. Sugary candy is an especially notorious culprit, hiding out in a seemingly innocent jar on the counter. The hard, sweet candies dissolve slowly, feeding bacteria in the mouth for a long time. The primary role of carbohydrates in the diet is to build some protein to build your mouth. But in the presence of bacteria, they can ferment into organic acids or volatile sulfur compounds, which produce that characteristic stench. The on-screen text lists five foods that contribute to bad breath. The candies are one of them. But the five are only the tip of an iceberg: garlic, onions, dairy products, and meat are the rest are the rest.

Taking Ownership:

The State of Our Mouth

How does the body battle bad breath? First, it's a battle of recognition. You can't fight the problem when you don't know it. A dentist or family member can help with that.

The Case for the Tongue

The tongue itself can act as a double-edged sword against bad breath. If it's clean, it’s a weapon against bacteria; if it's not, it's a warm bed for bacteria. Instead of picking the scab from your tongue, simply run a tongue scraper along its surface and flick away the detritus. A tongue scraper is a dental tool designed to remove a buildup of plaque and bacteria. The scraper's metal or plastic edges remove excess food debris to help prevent that bad breath. Some scrapers are plastic, some metal, and some electric. Tongue scraping is the opposite of scraping your tonsils for something stuck in the back of your throat. In this case, scrape without digging too hard, like shaving. The process takes 10-15 seconds and you should do it once or twice a day, preferably in the morning and evening. Use a scraper for its intended purpose. Do not use an object that could damage the tongue.

The Sweet Treat War

Sugary candy doesn’t have to be the enemy. But if you gotta have it, here are some tips. Don’t consume hard candy. If you eat a few pieces, try to have them in the morning or evening, rather than before bed. Brush your teeth right after eating a hard candy or a snack, and finish off with mouthwash. Don’t skip brushing, but don't use some witchcraft to get rid of them.

Small Steps to Take

Remember, bad breath isn’t an underlying health condition, but could be the result of poor oral hygiene. Keep your teeth and tongue clean. If you’re worried, get help from a dental professional. Dentists have advanced technology to determine the root of the problem. Feel the sorrow of bad breath. Learn to know — by force if necessary -—the smiling monster you’ve been hiding. Brush and scrape to defeat the smile-killer. While the monster populates the screen visually, the idea of the monster is to always keep you sober: fight the monster so that it does not take control. Instead, you should be in charge of your breath instead of the other way around—at least that's what our friend with the tongue scraper would say.