To fight bad breath you should start with proper oral hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal and floss each night before going to bed. Underlying causes for bad breath are poor digestive tract health, lack of vitamin B3 (niacin), and zinc deficiency. In order to get rid of bad breath, which possibly stems from lack of these nutrients in your diet, eat more niacin rich foods like fish, eggs, whole wheat products, brewer's yeast, peanuts, poultry, avocadoes, dates, figs, and prunes. You can also take 50 mg B vitamin complex supplements. Zinc is found in meats, seafood, brewer's yeast, pumpkin seeds, and eggs. It is also recommended to supplement 50 mg of chelated zinc. To ensure a healthy digestive tract, healthy bacteria living in our intestines should be increased, that in turn will reduce the harmful intestinal bacteria that may be causing bad breath. You can restore healthy digestive bacteria by two ways: 1. Eating yogurt. A recent study found that a serving of yogurt a day reduces the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide in the mouth. It also reduces bacteria in the mouth, plaque, and gum disease. Look for the kind of yogurt with active cultures and avoid the overly processed and sugar-added varieties. 2. Supplementing the healthy bacteria that help improve digestion, absorption of nutrients, and reduce mouth odor. Take 3 capsules or 2 tablespoons of acidophilus flavored liquid one to three times daily. You can also chew fresh herbs that help give a pleasant odor to the mouth. Eat fresh parsley and mint leaves. Chew on cardamom and anise seeds after eating, or make tea out of cardamom and anise seeds with cinnamon bark and cloves, and drink throughout the day. Vitamin C stops bacteria growth in the mouth. Snack of fruits high in vitamin C between meals include strawberries, oranges and other citrus fruits, melons, mango, and kiwi. Eat foods that increase saliva production as this will keep your mouth moist and help rinse out plaque and bacteria that cause bad breath. Good foods that keep your mouth watery include green apples, carrots, and celery. __
