FitSugar

How to Prevent Bad Breath

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:24 PDT

We've all been embarrassed by occasional bouts of bad breath after eating a roasted garlic pizza or a sandwich piled with onions. If you're dealing with bad breath all the time, though, it can be mortifying. So here are some tips to keep your mouth smelling fresh.

Quit cigarettes if you're a smoker.
Get your teeth checked out by your dentist. Cavities and gum disease can cause bad breath.
Brush and floss during the day, every time you eat. When food particles hang out in your mouth, bacteria collects and emits stinky hydrogen sulfur vapors. So keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your purse at all times to use after coffee breaks, lunch, and snacks.
Drink more water. It'll help keep the bacteria in your mouth to a minimum.
Don't mask your bad breath with sugary mints. They'll freshen your breath briefly, but the sugar will only cause more stinky plaque to build up. If you can't brush, go for sugarless gum instead since chewing increases saliva production, which is your best weapon against bad breath.

What else can help prevent bad breath? To find out,

If you suffer from allergies or sinus infections, postnasal drip in the back of your throat can cause bad breath. So get your symptoms under control with antibiotics or allergy meds.
Keep in mind, though, that certain medications such as decongestants or allergy pills can cause dry mouth, which can also lead to bad breath. When your mouth is dry, dead cells and bacteria accumulate on your gums, tongue, and teeth. When these cells decompose, they produce a foul smell. Water helps, but if your symptoms are really bothering you try switching medications.
Eat yogurt. Studies have found that one serving of yogurt each day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. Be sure to eat ones with active cultures.
Avoid certain foods such as garlic, onions, and alcohol. Once consumed, these foods get absorbed into your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs, and are given off in your breath.
To help prevent the buildup of plague, which can cause bad breath, eat crunchy fibrous foods such as apples, carrots, and celery.
Bacterium aren't a fan of foods such as citrus fruits, berries, and melon because they make the environment in your mouth too acidic, so get your fill of vitamin C. Another plus for consuming vitamin C is that it also helps prevent gum disease and gingivitis.
Chew herbs such as parsley, coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary, and cardamom. These all help fight bad breath.
Clean your tongue with a tongue scraper. Use it twice a day to remove bacteria and dead skin cells from your tongue.

Got Bad Breath? Try This

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:00:00 PDT

We've all been embarrassed by occasional bouts of bad breath, but it can be mortifying if you're dealing with it all the time. When it comes to preventing this odorous issue, I don't need to tell you to quit cigarettes if you're a smoker or to brush and floss regularly (since you already know that), so here are some other tips to keep your mouth smelling fresh.

Get your teeth checked out by your dentist. Cavities and gum disease can cause bad breath.
Brush and floss during the day, every time you eat. When food particles hang out in your mouth, bacteria collects and emits stinky hydrogen sulfur vapors. So keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your purse at all times to use after coffee breaks, lunch, and snacks.
Don't mask your bad breath with sugary mints or gum. They'll freshen your breath briefly, but the sugar will only cause more smelly plaque to build up. If you can't brush, go for sugarless breath fresheners instead.
If you suffer from allergies or sinus infections, postnasal drip in the back of your throat can cause bad breath. So get your symptoms under control with antibiotics or allergies meds.
Just so you know though, certain medications such as decongestants or allergy pills can cause dry mouth, which can also lead to bad breath. When your mouth is dry, dead cells and bacteria accumulate on your gums, tongue, and teeth. When these cells decompose, they produce a foul smell. Water helps, but if your symptoms are really bothering you try switching medications.

What else can help prevent bad breath? To find out

Eat yogurt. Studies have found that one serving of yogurt each day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. Be sure to eat ones with active cultures.
Avoid certain foods such as garlic, onions, and alcohol. Once consumed, these foods get absorbed into your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs, and are given off in your breath.
To help prevent the buildup of plague, which can cause bad breath, eat crunchy fibrous foods such as apples, carrots, and celery.
Bacterium aren't a fan of foods such as citrus fruits, berries, and melon because they make the environment in your mouth too acidic, so get your fill of vitamin C. Another plus for consuming vitamin C is that it also helps prevent gum disease and gingivitis.
Chew herbs such as parsley, coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary, and cardamom. These all help fight bad breath.
Clean your tongue with a tongue scraper. Use it twice a day to remove bacteria and dead skin cells from your tongue.

Source

Bad Breath? Could Be a Bug

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 PDT

For some people who suffer from halitosis (severe bad breath), it can be really embarrassing. It's often caused by the breakdown of bacteria in a person's mouth, which produces a foul-smelling sulfur odor on the tongue. Bad breath can also originate in the lungs or sinuses.

Now researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine have identified a specific tongue bacteria that causes chronic bad breath. I don't mean to gross you out, but they say that the bacteria known as Solobacterium moorei, can also be found in human feces. Um, eww.

In the small study, scientists collected samples by scraping an area of the tongue's surface in 21 people with bad breath and 36 without. This bacteria was found in every person who had halitosis. So now that researchers have discovered this bacteria, now they can help come up with treatments to rid people's mouths of it.

Fit's Tip: If you have an issue with bad breath, using a tongue scraper may help immensely.

Source

Another Reason to Lose a Few: Bad Breath

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:00:00 PST

Bad breath, a common side effect of dry mouth, poor dental hygiene, the morning cup of coffee, and a big meal heavy in garlic and onions, has added a new cause to the list.

Obesity is the latest perpetrator for causing bad breath among many of us. New research out of Tel Aviv has found that overweight patients were more likely to have foul-smelling breath than the non overweight patients in the study. As to why this is the case is still up in the air, however researchers believe that obese people may have a diet that promotes the condition of dry mouth or that people who are obese may be less in tune with taking care of their mouths and bodies. Regardless, it's just another reason to eat healthy, exercise, and practice good dental hygiene.

Source

5 Things: To Fight Bad Breath

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Everyone suffers from the occasional bad breath, but it can be an embarrassing problem if you're dealing with it all the time. Of course brushing your teeth, using mouthwash and not smoking are well-known ways to prevent bad breath, but here are a few others.

Every time you eat, brush and floss your teeth. Food particles that remain in your mouth and in between your teeth collect bacteria. The bacteria emits hydrogen sulfur vapors. So keep a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in your purse or desk so you can clean your mouth after your morning coffee, your lunch, and your mid-afternoon snack. Not only will brushing and flossing keep your mouth clean, but I know when my breath is minty fresh, I'm less likely to snack between meals.
Certain foods such as onions, garlic, and alcohol can cause bad breath. After they are consumed, they are absorbed into your bloodstream, carried to your lungs and given off in your breath until the food is eliminated from your body. Avoiding these foods can prevent this stinky problem.
If you have allergies, sinus infections, or post nasal drip, the nasal discharge in the back of your throat can cause bad breath (gross I know, but true). Try to figure out the cause of your symptoms. If you are allergic to something, like cats, try to avoid your triggers. Using a neti pot can also help to flush allergens out of your nose. If you have a sinus infection, be sure to take antibiotics to get rid of the infection.

Want to hear what else may help bad breath? Then

Dry mouth can also contribute to bad breath since saliva helps to cleanse and moisten your mouth. A dry mouth allows dead cells and bacteria to accumulate on your gums, tongue and teeth. When these cells decompose, they cause that foul smell. (Morning breath is caused by a dry mouth). It's important to note that certain medications such as decongestants and allergy meds can cause dry mouth too. If you have issues with dry mouth, try to drink more water. If you are taking allergy meds, and your bad breath annoys you more than your sneezing and runny nose, then you may want to consider ditching your meds.
Get yourself a tongue scraper. Use it twice a day to clean your tongue and get rid of excess bacteria.

Source

Tips For Beating Bad Breath

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Nothing is worse than having bad breath. Unless you're talking to someone who has bad breath, because that can be pretty bad too! Unfortunately you can not really do anything about someone else's bad breath, but you can do something about your own. MSNBC gives us these five food ideas to help combat bad breath:

Chew on this. Move over parsley, there are some new halitosis-fighting herbs in town. “Coriander, spearmint, tarragon, eucalyptus, rosemary and cardamom are all good for fighting bad breath,” says Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, who has lectured on oral health. You can chew on fresh herbs or make tonics by steeping them in hot water (as a tea). These herbs make an excellent digestive as well-doubling the benefits of ending a meal this way.

There's four more ideas, so

Get some active culture. No, not a Broadway play, but yogurt. A recent study found that a serving of yogurt each day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. Apparently it also cuts back on bacteria in the mouth-plaque and gum disease were reduced in the study’s yogurt eaters as well. Plus, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends getting enough vitamin D from yogurt, cheese and milk if you’re worried about halitosis because this vitamin creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. Be sure to get the kind of yogurt with active cultures-not overly processed or sugar-added varieties.
Crunchy types. Apples, carrots, celery-basically any fiber-rich fruit or vegetable is your friend when it comes to fighting halitosis. “Inside your mouth, plaque build-up causes odors,” explains Cynthia Sass, ADA spokeswoman and registered dietician. “Eating foods that increase saliva production keep the mouth moist-and rinsed out. Also, many carbs and proteins can get stuck in your teeth-even healthy foods like whole grain cereal or chicken breast.” So follow a meal with a Granny Smith (feel the saliva kick in at the mention of it?) to cleanse the mouth.
Masking techniques. Sugarless gum shouldn’t replace brushing your teeth after a meal, but in a pinch it can freshen breath (masking odors) and is another way to increase saliva production to rinse away plaque and bacteria. Mints can mask as well, but only briefly-and go for sugarless. Sugar creates plaque, and no one wants a mint that makes breath worse.
High C’s. Eating berries, citrus fruits, melons and other vitamin C-rich foods create an inhospitable environment for bacteria growth. A diet rich in vitamin C is also is important for preventing gum disease and gingivitis-both major causes of halitosis. Get your C in foods, not supplements, which can cause gastrointestinal upset in some, according to Sass, and exacerbate bad breath.

Source

Kill Morning Breath, Just in Time for Valentine's Day

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:00:00 PST

Do you suffer from morning breath? Don't lie... Everyone does.

What is bad breath anyway? Well at least 90-95% of all bad breath, also known as halitosis, is caused by certain bacteria, or germs, living in your mouth. These bacteria have amino acids that naturally exist in your saliva (and come from foods as well). These amino acids release sulfur gases as by-products and voila, you've got a stinky mouth.

It's rare that I come across oral hygiene products that impress me, mouthwash is mouthwash and toothpaste is toothpaste. However I just read about SmartMouth ($7.99 for 2 x 4 oz bottles), a new mouthwash, has been proven to help eliminate and prevent bad breath 24-hours a day when used regularly, twice a day. SmartMouth works by eliminating existing odors, preventing new odors from forming and creates an environment unfavorable for the bacteria that cause bad breath.

The best part in my opinion? You wake up in the morning without that nasty morning breath. Seriously. Why two bottles? SmartMouth requires that the two active ingredients be mixed together just prior to rinsing, (very high-tech sounding, eh?) but it's kind of annoying if you're low on bathroom space. Buy it online from SmartMouth.com.

Hellacious Halitosis

DearSugar — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 16:00:02 PST

Dear Sugar
I just started dating a new guy three months ago. Everything is going great except for one little issue that I have with him; he has the world’s worst breath! At first I just thought maybe he just didn’t brush his teeth very often, but after going away for the weekend together, I saw first hand that even shortly after brushing, it came right back again.

I don’t know what to do because I love spending time with him, but his breath is really taking a toll on our relationship. Kissing him is sometimes very unpleasant and when we go out together, I know that other people notice it too and sort of keep their distance from him. Our relationship still feels so new and vulnerable to me and I am unsure how to bring up this topic without totally offending him. Do you have any suggestions? Grossed Out Girlfriend

To see DEARSUGAR's answer

Dear Grossed Out Girlfriend
Halitosis, the scientific name for bad breath is very common and affects roughly 50 million people in America. What a bummer for you. The good news is that there are measures that he can take to eliminate that foul odor.

Since the bacteria that causes the bad smell is typically located on the far back of the tongue, your boyfriend might not even be aware of his problem. Unfortunately you are going to have to confront him about this if you want to rectify it. This is an uncomfortable conversation to have, but you’ve got to bite the bullet and let him know…. wouldn't you want to know if you had stank breath?

Tell him that you’ve noticed that sometimes his mouth has a funny smell after you guys eat particular foods and so you’ve been looking into this a little bit. Here are a couple of facts about foul breath that you might find helpful:

95% of bad breath comes from the mouth so making sure to brush your tongue is the first step.
It’s very important to stay on top of routine dental check ups to ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and disease/odor free.
Try to stay away from certain foods such as: garlic, peppers, onions, alcohol, and harsh spices, which can sometimes leave you with a funky odor in your mouth.

If all of these preventative measures are not helping, I suggest that your boyfriend see his doctor. If you are still at a standstill and you are desperate to save your relationship, there is an online company that will actually send an anonymous e-mail to your boyfriend delivering the bad news. Although it’s incredibly passive aggressive and slightly mean, it may help. Check it out here.

Nighttime Fasting: A New Way to Lose Weight?

Shape — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:09:52 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

If you couldn’t let anything cross your lips from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., but you were allowed to eat anything you wanted for eight hours a day and still lose weight, would you try it? That’s the apparent bottom line of a rat study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, which recently stirred up the weight loss pot.

Top 50 Summer Diet Foods for Weight Loss

Scientists put groups of mice on different diet regimens for 100 days. One group of rodents ate healthy food while animals in two of the groups chowed down on high-fat, high-calorie feed. Half of the junk food eaters were allowed to munch whenever they wanted to while the others only had access to feed for the eight hours they were most active. The conclusion: even though they ate a fatty diet, the mice who were forced to fast for 16 hours were almost as lean as those who ate the healthy fare. Interestingly, the round the clock junk food eaters became obese and developed health problems, even though they consumed about the same amount of fat and calories as the time-restricted junk food fed mice.

See if a nutritionist thinks nighttime fasting works after the break!

Game of Thrones "The Prince of Winterfell": What We're Still Talking About

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:39:38 PDT

It's hard to believe that there are only two episodes of Game of Thrones left, and this week feels like the calm before the storm. As Robb, Theon, Tyrion, and Stannis prepare for some serious battles, the ladies in all of their lives start making some moves of their own.

Catelyn takes family matters into her own hands, Talisa finally seals the deal with Robb, and Osha's keeping a secret. As the tease for next week's episode reminds us, war is on the horizon, but let's get into this week's biggest moments when you

Catelyn sets Jaime free. Catelyn makes a decision of the heart and sends Jaime back to King's Landing under Brienne's watch. Naturally, Robb is none too pleased to hear about this, and calls his mom a traitor for negotiating with the Lannisters. So even if Jaime makes it all the way home (which I'm doubtful of, since he's weaseled his way out of the Starks' grip before), what's going to happen when Arya is nowhere to be found?
Robb and Talisa sitting in a tree. Robb's got a lot on his plate right now, what with Theon leading Occupy Winterfell and his mother freeing Jaime and all, but he's still got his flirtation with Talisa to keep him going. Their relationship gets taken to the next level after a deep conversation about life and death, and Robb adorably admits that he doesn't want to marry the Frey girl he's betrothed to. Talisa returns the sentiment and - after what feels like many minutes of trying to unlace Robb's shirt - they get busy on the floor tent. I love seeing Robb as the vulnerable teenager he really is under his kingly demeanor, but I have a bad feeling that his relationship with Talisa is not long for this world.
Bran and Rickon live (of course)! I wasn't really expecting Bran and Rickon to be the poor charred bodies that Theon proudly displays in the center of Winterfell, but I still breathed a sigh of relief when we see that they're safe. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the local farm boys who ultimately suffered Theon's wrath. Theon gets an earful from Yara, who essentially calls him a moron for killing the Stark boys, and he doesn't fight back - so does this mean he doesn't know who he actually ordered to death?
Arya and Jaqen go full alliance. With only one death order left under her belt, Arya starts getting clever with her pact with Jaqen. To get even more help from him, she asks that he help her escape - if not, she'll order his suicide. Since Jaqen knows that he's beat, he agrees and takes down the guards so that Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie can flee Harrenhal. But where will they go from here? And is this the last we'll see of Jaqen?
Cersei gets the upper hand (and then immediately loses it). During a standard round of sibling banter with Cersei and Tyrion, Cersei starts acting obviously smug about something. Tyrion bites and she tells him that she's learned about the whore he's been hiding, and she threatens to kill her if anything should happen to Joffrey in battle. Tyrion starts to sweat, but then - twist! - Cersei's apprehended the wrong woman, and Shae is still safe.

What'd you think of the episode? And with war brewing, who do you think will make it through the rest of the season?

Photo courtesy of HBO