Holding court with The Duchess the other day, I was advised that I should look into the relationship between bad breath and the consumption of ever-present sugary drinks. Turns out there is some undeniable evidence that a relationship exists.
Does anyone know someone like this?
Most of us develop the most raging case of bad breath while we sleep. Bacteria have a field day in your mouth while you’re drooling on your pillow. They play, work, eat and reproduce at an alarming rate. As they devour bits of your saliva and microscopic food particles, they let off an awful sulfur aroma. Basically your mouth is their table and toilet. Yum.
Now, we do have something in common with these little pests. We both LOVE sugary drinks. Why? Sugar is a basic source of energy. Our bodies convert almost everything we eat into sugar, which is then burned for fuel. Bacteria does the same. 
Somewhere in our physiology, we seek out the quickest route to sugar, or fuel. Our body chemistry is designed for survival and self preservation. So, sometimes the choices we make in consumption are clouded by the drive for fuel. It’s not unusual to crave sweets when you’re hungry and preparing a meal. This is also a partly learned behavior due to the abundance of sugar in our diets. Check your labels, it’s in just about everything.
So, back to the bacteria. These micro-organisms also burn sugar for fuel. They will eat whatever is at hand, they’re not very picky. And just like us, they are often searching for the quickest easiest way to get their fuel of choice. If sugar is there, they go for it first. A sugary drink, in particular, is the perfect vehicle for bacteria to obtain sugar. It’s moist and coats the teeth, tongue and tonsils. Your tongue is particularly good at housing hungry stinky bacteria.
Now remember, when the bacteria eat, they use the fuel, then give off waste, and that stinks! In fact, the more sugary a substance is, or the more that is available, the more the bacteria will stink. So, when all of America is constantly gulping down sugary, syrupy, dessert-like drinks, we are giving these bacteria a very quickly digestible fuel source and they pay us back by taking huge dumps in our mouths. At least huge by bacteria standards.
Result – Simple Chronic Halitosis. Bad Breath. This is just another in the litany of reasons to PUT DOWN THE SODA! Obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, insulin dumps, energy crashes and now bad breath, the list goes on.
Guess what washes bacteria away, quenches your thirst and doesn’t make your breath stink?
Water.
It’s in the kitchen and comes out of that bent pipe sticking out of the back of the sink. Don’t be afraid.
Hydrate, don’t stink,
FV
Eat This NY
The Duchess of Amboy