Wondering what causes bad breath? Here are the some of the notorious food and beverages (and certain health issues) that contribute to the unwanted smell produced by your mouth:

Don’t want to miss happy hour? You’re in for a hangover and a massive case of bad breath. Alcohol does the opposite of hydration; instead, it dries out the mouth. As a result, it stimulates bacterial growth, which is the main cause of bad breath. In addition to alcohol, spicy food, tobacco and caffeine can trigger bad breath.

Forgot to brush your tongue? When it’s time for your oral hygiene regimen, don’t forget to scrape the surface of your tongue with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper.

Planning to go on a low-carb diet? As your carb intake lowers while you increase your protein, your body goes into fat-burning mode. During this process, your body produces compounds known as ketones, which trigger bad breath. If brushing won’t fix it, your best recourse is to chew gum to mask the undesirable mouth odor.

The common cold is also a common reason for bad breath. Bacteria in the respiratory tract can cause foul odor as it feeds on mucus. Coupled with a stuffy nose, which dries out the mouth, it can trigger bad breath.

An ulcer may not be the main cause but the bacteria present are; H. pylori causes bad breath. To get rid of the unwanted smell, get rid of the bacteria first.

Some medications can cause stink in the mouth. These include allergy meds and antidepressants as they suppress saliva flow. Without saliva, which washes away bacteria in the mouth, it results in the foul odor. If changing or stopping the meds is not an option, you can chew sugarless gum to stop the odor.

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