Coffee, Alcohol and Sugar – Are They Giving You Bad Breath?

We all know that certain pungent foods will give us dragon breath. No one needs a lecture on the perils of eating garlic and onions. But did you know that there are plenty of other foods—ingredients that you probably consume each day—that can also be contributing to that awful dragon breath? These are little known culprits that can ruin otherwise sweet-smelling breath.

Little Known Culprits Can Ruin a Fresh Mouth

There are several little known culprits that can ruin an otherwise perfectly clean mouth. Even if you practice great personal oral hygiene—brushing your teeth two times a day and rinsing with mouthwash—you can still be lacking in the fundamental. Ask yourself truthfully: how often do you floss? Flossing can be an even more fundamental thing than brushing your teeth. The reason is that when you brush your teeth, you can only really ever get rid of surface level plaque and debris. But when you floss, you can remove a lot more food debris and particles that get stuck beneath the gum line and in between your teeth. Try flossing for at least one whole week and prepare yourself to note a big difference.

The Perils of SLS – Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Did you know that your toothpaste and mouthwash could actually be doing your mouth harm? Sadly, it's true. Some studies have made a connection between SLS and mouth drying. Drying of the mouth often leads to bacteria and bad breath. Avoid harsh commercial mouth washes and tooth paste that contain SLS.

Alcohol – Is it Only Making Things Worse?

There is definitely a noted connection between alcohol and bad breath. It is definitely a little strange that the main active ingredient in most commercial mouthwashes is alcohol. Alcohol will usually cause your mouth to dry out. As has been noted, it is not a good thing for your mouth if you allow it to dry out like that. Also, some alcoholic beverages—most notably bad beer—tend to create strong and sour dragon breath.

How Coffee Can Also Cause Bad Breath

Coffee addicts everywhere—beware. It appears that coffee as well can cause that horrid dragon breath. Research studies have indicated that the regular consumption of acidic food and drinks (including coffee) can contribute to the presence of bad breath. Bacteria love acidity, especially acidic drinks such as coffee. Of course, this doesn't automatically mean that you have to give up coffee for the rest of your life. But it does mean that you should probably cut down on your coffee drink intake if you want to help your mouth stay clean and fresh. Coffee, of course, is also bad for your mouth in another way: it will seriously stain your pearly whites.

There is no simple way around it: bacteria love sugar. Like a kid in a candy store, bacteria love to eat up sugar. So what can you do if you are a sugar freak? Most doctors recommend that you limit the amount of your sugar intake. If you can manage to cut down on your sugar intake, you will find that it is good for your whole body, and not just your mouth. But you should understand that sugary mints will not cut it when it comes to finding a permanent cure for your bad dragon breath.