Body Care Kits

Getting Rid of Bad Breath with Parsley.

The claim: Eating parsley can eliminate bad breath.

The facts: People have long tried to freshen their breath with parsley.

Its fresh, strong flavour would seem to make it a natural deodoriser. And its deep green colour is a sign of ample chlorophyll, which is thought to have some antibacterial properties. (The sulphur compounds that give rise to bad breath are produced by various strains of bacteria that feast on food deposits and other debris in the back of the mouth.)

However, researchers who have looked into this particular folk remedy have found little evidence that it works. Studies that have examined its effects in the mouth have found that while it may have some small initial effect on odour - mostly by masking it - parsley does little to reduce the concentration of volatile sulphur compounds.

One unlikely food that has been shown to reduce levels of sulphur compounds, however, is green tea, although the effect may be temporary, lasting no more than an hour or two.

Mouthwashes can be effective when they contain two ingredients in particular: zinc and chlorhexidine.

However, those that contain alcohol may make the problem worse by drying the mouth. Several studies have also identified a number of other factors that contribute to bad breath, including being overweight, drinking heavily and smoking.

The bottom line: There is little evidence that parsley can counteract bad breath.

Mind your Body

The New York Times

Labels: bad breath, parsley

# posted by Leo @ 4:15 PM 1 comments

Bad Breath is something that is not welcome. If there is bad breath, quickly find a cure for it.

GETTING RID OF BAD BREATH

Question:
I'd like to find out about chronic bad breath and if there's a cure for it.

Answer:
The main cause of bad breath is ineffective oral hygiene and periodontal disease (gum disease). The accumulation of bacteria and bacterial degradation products result in the formation of volatile sulphur compounds which are believed to be one of the main sources of bad breath.

Smoking has been found to be one of the risk factors of periodontal disease. If the cause is of oral origin, effective oral hygiene, including cleaning the tongue and control of periodontal disease, would improve the situation.

There may also be systemic causes of bad breath. These may include certain oral medications which cause a dry mouth. People with diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, end stage renal problems and respiratory tract infections may also experience the problem.

Associate Professor Lim Lum Peng

Labels: bad breath

# posted by Leo @ 7:14 PM 0 comments