At the mouth of another bottle lies bad breath
Bad breath (or halitosis) is a oral health problem where the main symptom is a foul smelling breath.
Studies show that It affects 1 in 4 people globally. In fact, every human being has some level of bad breath at some point.
It is usually an effect of poor oral hygiene. However, it is not always the case.
Gigi Meinecke, a dentist with the Academy of General Dentistry, Potomac, Maryland explained In an oral health article that Bad breath usually stems from one of three things; acid reflux from the stomach; post-nasal drip from air passages; and substances called volatile sulfur compounds, or VSCs, in the mouth.
In practice, part of taming bad breath is staying hydrated–but not all liquids are created equal. Some drinks will actually cause acid reflux and feed the bacteria that produce VSCs and intensify stinky breath.
What are acidic drinks?
Acidic drinks are those that have acidic radicals, like the bicarbonate ion, which oftentimes makes them fizzy.
The pH level is what is measured when determining acidity. The lower the pH level, the more acidic the drink.
Understanding the pH value of a food or drink is a critical aspect of managing acid erosion in our teeth.
Acidic drinks like soda, coffee, alcohol, energy drinks, most citrus juice, amongst others play a major role in bad breath if taken excessively.
And this usually happens in one of two ways.
First, experts explain that the acid in these drinks dries out your mouth . This is so as saliva is there to help wash your mouth, so if your mouth is dried out, it can lead to halitosis. (Smoking also is another prevalent cause of dry mouth)
A dry mouth, consequently, allows bacteria and food particles linger.
The bacteria decompose the food particles and produces volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) which gives a stinky breath.
Another way acidic drinks can cause bad breath is by causing what is known as acid reflux.
Acid reflux is simply a condition in which stomach contents rise back into the esophagus because of the weakness of a valve(esophageal sphincter) that closes the lower junction between the esophagus and the stomach.
The stomach acids on the wall of the esophagus, gases from decomposed food, as well as regurgitated bile can give a pungent acidic smell to the mouth.
Fortunately, in most cases a bad breath is not a life sentence and can be treated. The usual prescription being staying hydrated, brushing regularly, and flossing after a meal.
However, halitosis is a symptom of many different conditions. In other words, it’s like a warning message from your body. Finding the root cause of halitosis is the first step in treating the issue.
Conclusively, you’ll find some foods and beverages that are highly nutritious for our body can still be problematic in terms of acidity especially when it comes to oral health.
However, highly acidic foods and drinks do not need to be completely avoided for the sake of dental health, but excessive consumption of these can not only cause bad breath but increased levels of acidity take a toll on tooth enamel in the form of acid erosion or acid wear.
References
https://sunburydentalhouse.com.au/3-drinks-that-will-make-your-breath-reek/. Accessed 24th March, 2023.
https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/guide/what-is-acid-reflux-disease. Accessed 24th March, 2023.
https://www.southuniversitydental.com/blog/what-are-examples-of-acidic-beverages-and-foods. Accessed 24th March, 2023.
