Introduction to the topic
A healthy diet and a correct lifestyle represent the perfect mix for the prevention of halitosis, an embarrassing and unpleasant phenomenon that affects both sexes of all ages.
To prevent bad breath, it is not enough just to recommend the use of toothpaste, toothbrush and mouthwash: it seems, in fact, that the diet has an enormous influence on the freshness of a person's breath.
Food and smell of the breath
Avocado against halitosis
Dr. Dalloca (with a degree in Dentistry at Tufts University Boston and at the University of Pavia) asserts that: "a valid reason for the treatment of bad breath of gastrointestinal origin is the consumption of avocado which [...] eliminates the putrefaction of food in the intestinal tract”. Very special statement because the fruit of Persea Gratissima (avocado) has mainly diuretic properties: probably this strange food is recommended to counteract the peculiar halitosis linked to gastro-intestinal problems, thanks also to the fiber content. The difficulty in digesting, in fact, is often connected to a negative feedback that affects the breath.
Water against halitosis
Surely, to enjoy an almost constant sensation of cleanliness and freshness of the mouth, it is advisable to take large quantities of water: dry mouth is in fact a basic cause of bad breath. This explains the reason why in the morning, perceiving the typical sensation of "dry mouth", one has a tendentially more unpleasant breath. Precisely for this reason, we recommend the intake of at least eight glasses of water a day, the amount of which corresponds to about a couple of liters.
Some researchers venture another tip for fresh breath: a glass of hot water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar accompanied by one of honey. This is probably because vinegar, being acid, favors digestion in the stomach, "eliminating" the food more quickly; despite this fact, the best technique is always to drink a lot of water.
Proper nutrition and halitosis
A "correct diet", in order to avoid or prevent halitosis, also includes the intake of simple foods at meals, which must not be too rich in fat, nor excessively tasty and spicy. Too many spices, in fact, enhance the action of bacteria, which inevitably lead to the formation of bad odors on the breath. The main defendants in this sense are naturally the foods belonging to the liliaceae family, such as garlic and onion, whose bad exhalations can be mitigated by the simultaneous intake of parsley.
Milk and halitosis
We now come to talk about a question: yogurt.
If for some this food can be considered an "enemy" of the freshness of the breath, for others it represents the exact opposite. The former, in fact, assert that milk derivatives, such as yogurt, can promote halitosis due to the proteins present, used by bacteria to give off the odor; the latter believe instead that kefir, yogurt and sour milk prevent their formation.
Which hypothesis must therefore be taken into consideration?
It is true that milk proteins are exploited by bacteria for the production of malodorous metabolites, but it is equally true that fermented milk preparations, being acidic, favor the elimination of waste, since food digestion will be faster; moreover, by favoring the establishment of a saprophytic bacterial flora in the intestine, these food products help to promote intestinal function and immune defenses.
Unhealthy eating habits
As it has been stressed several times, poor salivation (xerostomia) is a problem that strongly predisposes to halitosis: it follows that incorrect eating habits, which decrease salivation (salty foods, low consumption of liquids, excess of simple sugars), should be avoided.
Pipe or cigarette smoking should be limited as much as possible, if not completely avoided, being among the major contributors to the decrease in salivation. Furthermore, a marked alteration of saliva in terms of composition occurs in the smoker; in fact, smoking in general, and nicotine in particular, create an increase in the bacterial load that forms plaque, which is decidedly more consistent in smokers. The decrease in salivation and the alteration of the enzymes that make up the saliva result in a lower efficiency of the rinsing function of the saliva itself.
Excess of oral hygiene
Paradoxically, even the excessive use of disinfectant substances, such as mouthwashes based on antiseptic extracts, could negatively affect halitosis: many disinfectant substances are in fact made up of essential oils and low molecular weight molecules (monoterpenes) with astringent action, which as such they cause a decrease in saliva. Alongside a correct diet, therefore, the treatment and prevention of halitosis also pass through a series of hygiene and behavioral rules, including the natural remedies set out in the articles "Halitosis and Herbalism" and "Natural remedies for" halitosis".
