Foods that Cause Bad Breath

Garlic, onions, spicy food, and alcohol are notorious for causing bad breath, and coffee is known to make bad breath worse. Garlic, onions and spicy foods contain sulfur byproducts that are absorbed into the blood stream, and are expelled by the lungs.

Dairy foods are also famous for creating bad breath. An article in the Los Angeles Times once noted that over 50% of the population in Southern California was "lactose intolerant". This means that tens of millions of people cannot break down the lactose protein in dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc). The end-result is a buildup of amino acids, which are easily converted into volatile sulfur compounds by the anaerobic bacteria found within the surface of your tongue and throat.

Bad breath from food only lingers for as long as these things are in your system. Until they pass through, mask them with something stronger like peppermint tea or mint sugar-free gum. Chewing on parsley can also help mask bad breath.

Chew fresh cardamom seeds for a severe case of garlic breath. Cardamom is in the ginger family and has a very strong taste and odor; however, most people find the taste and smell to be more pleasant than garlic. Cardamom has been used as a natural remedy for centuries to treat gum, tooth and mouth problems, killing the bacteria that cause bad breath.

To check your breath, lick your wrist, wiping your tongue from the back to the tip. Leave it for 10 seconds, then sniff.