Want to know how fermented foods can help prevent bad breath? Researchers say the bacteria found in fermented foods can help with bad breath.
1. Some types of bacteria in your mouth can lead to persistent bad breath.
2. Scientists suggest that probiotics may combat these undesirable bacteria.
3. Probiotics can be found in fermented foods or in some supplements.
You awaken in your bed. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the taste in your mouth is… just awful.
Who among us has never had a case of “morning breath,” “coffee breath,” or “garlic breath?” They’re at least common enough that we’re all familiar with these phrases.
Bad breath, also called halitosis, affects half of the adults at one time or another, according to the American Dental Association.
In an effort to combat this common condition, scientists reviewed whether probiotics might be a useful halitosis treatment.
They published their findings in the journal BMJ Open.
What researchers uncovered about bad breath
Foods containing probiotic bacteria include yogurt and sourdough bread. There are also probiotic supplements on the market, although the benefits of swallowing a capsule might differ from when chewing probiotic foods.
“The research is very thought-provoking. The value is that it pulls a lot of studies together to show where the gaps in the research are. And the gap here we really need to go after is causality,” we concluded.
While some people with halitosis did experience short-term improvements, it’s not clear that probiotics were necessarily the reason.
“The bottom line is probiotic use certainly doesn’t hurt, but the jury’s still out on the overall benefit of this,” we were able to understand.
Before changing up your eating habits, it should first be noted the results didn’t indicate that probiotics permanently solved halitosis. The data shows that there’s some potential short-term benefit to probiotics, but it doesn’t really hold up long-term.
Having a more diverse microbiome may allow the body to digest a wider variety of foods and thus stave off halitosis. It is important to consume a diet that helps propagate a diverse quantity and quality of various gut bacteria to help maintain not only gut and oral health but overall well-being too.
Experts say that maintaining a balanced diet can add some healthy variety to your meals.
Probiotics might have some benefit to treating halitosis, but it doesn’t appear they should be solely relied upon.
For mild cases, chewing gum or breath fresheners can be inconspicuous and convenient to carry around, but they’re not for everyone.
If someone has dentures or implants, some gums can become quite strong and dislodge the implant. These products might also contain sugars, which could actually make things worse. Bacteria burn the sugars and the byproducts are acids, which increase the rate of decay and sometimes increase the proliferation of more bacteria.
If you’re not able to treat your halitosis at home, the next step is to consult with a medical professional.
Halitosis can cause anxiety and embarrassment, and potentially isolation, if severe enough. If someone is concerned about bad breath, ideally they should start with their primary care physician or dentist.
Other issues associated with bad breath
Bad breath could also be a sign of other health issues.
It can be caused by plaque or bacteria on the teeth, periodontal disease, dental cavities, and decay in the teeth, but also [gastrointestinal] related issues, reflux, and even diseases like lung cancer can give a certain bad smell in the mouth.
The first thing is don’t ignore chronic cases of bad breath, it could be telling you something. And the second thing is, it’s treatable. See your dentist, we can help you. Most of the time, the assessment will begin with your dentist, and that’s a good place to start.
At Comfort Nutrition Services, we are committed to counseling and assisting our clients, fans, and followers to reach their healthy nutritional goals.
