(27-02-13) Five natural ways to cure bad breath through diet

by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) There are few things more unpleasant and uncomfortable in social
situations than talking to someone with bad breath. And if you suffer from
chronic bad breath (halitosis) yourself, you already know how embarrassing it
can be talking to other people who you know can smell it. For many people,
grabbing a mint or a piece of gum is their go-to solution, as it quickly masks
the problem. But this approach often fails to address the root causes of bad
breath, which for many people includes dietary deficiency.

Regularly brushing your teeth and tongue, especially after meals, as well as
flossing daily, swishing with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, and getting
periodic teeth cleanings are, of course, the first places to start when
addressing bad breath issues. But if the problem persists beyond all this, you
may have some kind of nutritional deficiency or underlying health condition
that requires other interventions as well. Here are five natural ways to help
cure the problem of bad breath at the systemic level through diet:

1) Drink more water. Believe it or not, dehydration is one of the most common
causes of bad breath. Many people drink far too little water throughout the day
to ward off the bacteria in the mouth that are most responsible for causing bad
breath. Tiny microbes in the mouth actually feed on loose food particles
throughout the day, releasing odor-causing byproducts that end up stinking up
breath. And all-natural saliva, it turns out, is your body's built-in remedy
for eliminating these bacteria.

But in order for your body to produce enough bacteria-fighting saliva, you
must be drinking plenty of clean, fluoride-free water throughout the day. Since
saliva is full of oxygen, bacteria have a much harder time surviving because
they require low-oxygen environments in order to thrive. Saliva also contains
natural enzymes that help stimulate the production of antibodies that
neutralize bacteria, which end up getting eliminated when you swish with water,
mouthwash, or other oral hygiene products.

2) Supplement with zinc. Another common cause of halitosis is a deficiency in
the mineral zinc, which helps maintain a clean, bacteria-free mouth. Some
mouthwash products actually contain zinc as an active ingredient because the
mineral is a known antimicrobial, and aids in the neutralization and
elimination of harmful germs. But supplementing with oral zinc and eating more
zinc-rich foods like pumpkin and gourd seeds, cacao, and organ meats, for
instance, might be an even better approach, as it can help address the problem
systemically.

"Zinc deficiency is associated with poor healing, immunity and inflammation,"
writes Heather Caruso in her book, Your Drug-Free Guide to Digestive Health.
"Halitosis from oral disease can benefit from zinc supplementation (http://www.
naturalpedia.com).

3) Drink stinging nettle tea daily. Since bad breath can also stem from a
buildup of heavy metals, yeast overgrowth, and other toxins inside the body, it
is important to regularly flush your system via dietary interventions. And one
way you can do this is by taking stinging nettle or drinking stinging nettle
tea. A powerful herb that has been shown to purify the blood and eliminate
toxins from the body, stinging nettle helps stimulate the lymphatic system,
increase the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys, and boost adrenal
function, all of which target halitosis at its root.

"Bad breath is often indicative of toxemia or defective elimination via
liver," explains Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: The Definitive
Guide. This helpful manual goes on to suggest not only nettle, but also alfalfa
sprouts, parsley, peppermint, dill, fennel, sage, licorice, dandelion
goldenseal, echinacea, wild yam, myrrh, lemon, and chlorophyll tablets as
viable treatment options for bad breath (http://astore.amazon.com/wsdm-
20/detail/1854875868/105-4703199-0991601).

4) Take probiotics. Along these same lines, poor gut health is another common
cause of bad breath. If your digestive tract is overloaded with built-up
toxins, for instance, or if routine antibiotic use and poor dietary habits have
left your digestive system in shambles, bad breath could merely be a side
effect of another underlying problem. And supplementing with probiotic flora or
eating more probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, fermented sauerkraut and kombucha
tea just might be the remedy.

A study published in the journal Current Opinion in Gastroenterology back in
2011 found that probiotic supplements actually help replace odor-causing oral
microbes with beneficial varieties, effectively nipping bad breath in the bud.
Other studies have identified specific probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus
salivarius that directly target harmful bacterial strains in the mouth, and
reduce or eliminate the volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) responsible for
causing bad breath (http://www.huffingtonpost.com).

5) Eat more carrots, celery, and apples. Crunchy fruits and vegetables that
are rich in fiber are also beneficial in the fight against bad breath. Eating
more carrots, celery, and apples, for instance, can help scrape out the plaque
buildups that are responsible for causing more mild or infrequent forms of bad
breath, as well as add an extra dose of immune-boosting nutrients to your diet.
These foods also help trigger an increased production of bacteria-fighting
saliva inside the mouth.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

http://health.howstuffworks.com

http://ezinearticles.com

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