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Q. I have a problem with terrible bad breath after eating anything with dairy in it, and also anything with sugar. I have had this problem since my early twenties and am now in my sixties.
My husband says it is so bad that he can sometimes smell it from his side of our king-size bed. This is right after brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash before bedtime.
If I stay away from sugar and dairy, the smell goes away completely after four or five days. It starts again within 30 to 45 minutes of eating the offending foods.
We eat out frequently with our daughter and son-in-law, but it is very difficult to avoid problem foods when we do. Even when I explain it to the waiter, I still sometimes find dairy or sugar in my food. I would be blessed to find a cure. Otherwise, I’m pretty much limited to meat and vegetables and I get tired of that after a while.
A. You are the third person who has told us that dairy products such as milk or ice cream cause them bad breath. We could find no research in the medical literature that addresses this symptom, but we are beginning to believe that it might be more widespread than doctors recognize.
One woman discovered that Lactaid (lactase enzyme pills) solved her problem by breaking down milk sugar in dairy products. Intolerance to milk sugar (lactose) is fairly common, though the usual symptoms reported are bloating, gas and diarrhea rather than bad breath.
The difficulty with sugar is trickier to solve. Table sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. Fewer people seem to have trouble digesting these simple sugars, so there are no enzyme pills to take. If sugar is contributing to your halitosis, avoidance really is the best strategy. We recognize that this is much easier said than done because sugar is in many processed foods.
Jennifer
I have found this thread and could say it validated my suspicions. After 24 years, I have finally figured out that sugar and dairy were my culprit. I have tried everything, spent money, time, energy, tears and even diets. I thought I eliminated dairy but kept eating pasta, and pasta is made with eggs, hence dairy. Every morning, I had sugar without realizing it bc I always ate fruits with my breakfast. For me, even the sugar from fruits cause BB within almost 15 minutes. While I eliminated sugar, nothing happened but that’s because I was eating sugar from the fruit. I eliminated ALL dairy and ALL forms of sugar.
Yes. My meal time is boring as heck and sometimes, I feel so bored with just meat and vegetables and water. That’s literally all I eat now, but it is SO worth it. My kids no longer complain of my odor. I can attend family outings again. I want to see my friends again. It did take about 2 weeks until I saw a difference, and it was SO hard to stick to bc I was not seeing any progress. At about day 17, I realized the smell was almost gone and no more white thick coating. I was so happy I stuck with it, I also take vitamin b2, RIBOFLAVIN, and b12 supplements daily along with probiotics. I think it helps, but I think the main issues were the dairy and sugar.
I always used to have ketchup with my food, and even sugar-free ketchup gave me reactions. I tried everything I had read on other forums for this issue, to the point of even consuming copper. I drank bleach few times. Anyway, God praise the Lord. REMEMBER, NO sugar in any form even in salad dressings, sauces, ketchup, tomatoe sauce, gravy. NOTHING. And NO dairy including ingredients made with dairy such as pasta, bread, cake, pastries, or even fruit. Yes, I may become deficient in some vitamins but at least I can be normal again.
In social settings, I still act like a quiet little bug because that’s what I had done for 24 years, but I recently began trying to talk to new people and NO reactions. It makes it all worth it. About a month ago, I had ice cream with my kids (sorbet) and I had BB again for the next 6 or 7 days. I was so mad at myself, and my daughter didn’t even want to lie next to me and said I reminded her of cheese bc of my smell. In that moment, I said, OK I have the solution I have always been asking for. I found my culprit, God did his part..now it’s up to ME! God bless you all.
Susie H
Tampa, florida
There are couple of things to check for and here are the followings: LES (lower esophagus valve) muscle is loose cause the valve not able to close properly, TMAU (body odor and holitosis), allergy (dairy, eggs, and etc), constipations or irregular bowels, candidas, certain medications, srogren disease ( autoimmune disease causes dry skin, mouth, and eyes), and mercury and copper toxin in body through teeth fillings or iud insertions. Please look up the items on the list and it will explain everything you need to know what contributed your bad breath.
There are many of us out there and yet so many people still don’t understand is not our bad hygiene. There are certain things we can’t control.
Best luck everyone!!!
Frida S
I’ve been in the same problem for years too, struggling. What I can say to all of you is that, hopefully, I have into account a pair of days in my life when miraculously this bad went away. So, now that I think about it, there is my hope, in acknowldeging that that thing that is not working inside me it will find its cure. I pray God to heal and I want to do my best and search as you’ve been doing it.
Mindy563
South Africa
I too had bad breath, it actually started 2.5 years ago….I was over indulging in coffee, sweets, milk and yogurts….I NEVER suffered from bad breath and it came so unexpectedly and stayed with me for years….very depressing and isolating…
I tried visiting numerous doctors and I got diagnosed with IBS (which I did not buy) to endless other conditions….one condition which stood out only because I had many of the symptoms was Candida.
Eventually, after attempting the Candida diet and failing as I was not strict with my regimen, I decided to tackle it again but was not allowed to teach and I had to do the cleanse to get rid of all the toxins.
First week (on cleanse) – you actually feel weak and like krap….you mainly drinking a veggie broth and eating leafy greens (non-starchy veggies and NO fruit)….still bad breath!
Second week – Post nasal drip almost completely subsided….moved from cleanse phase and onto the diet…still bad breath!
Third week….still on diet but decided that decaf was just not working for me…and each time I ate eggs, I would be extremely bloated and my gas would be horrific as well as my breath….I ate about 6 eggs a day…
One day, I decided to cut eggs out of my diet (I also cut out plain yogurt as it produces a lot of phlegm)….this in fact had a dramatic effect on me….IN A GOOD WAY!
I figured that my bloatedness, bad breath and smelly gas went away when I cut out eggs from my diet….granted I still used eggs in gluten free bread recipes, but I genuinely felt that too many eggs just like that (boiled/fried) was contributing to my Body Odor.
I am beginning to believe that certain people cannot break down the protein in eggs and milk and when their body does digest it, it produces sulfur smelling compounds….and granted my sweat even stank….so yes, it is a sure sign that your body is telling you something is not working for you.
Maybe try the Candida diet or an elimination one to determine which foods are the culprit…
I would rather cut out eggs and dairy out of my life for good that deal with depression that results from halitosis….hope this helps….
F
I have had bad breath my whole life. Since high school, I have chronic halitosis. I used to eat candies to mock the smell and it worked. However, since early this year, I found the candy must be making my breath worse. So now I basically drink as much water as I can during the day, by carrying a water bottle everywhere I go, trying to wash the horrible smell away.
I also have realized dairy products are making my breath worse. I dropped coffee years ago, chocolate as well, now I stopped drinking milk or eating anything with cream. But I wonder if yogurt is fine? (It’s fermented and supposed to facilitate digestion? I wonder if my bad breath is caused by my poor digestion or rooted in my mouth).
It has been really difficult for me, as I am only in my early twenties but I have had bad breath nearly my whole life. I have always wanted to date a guy, or get close to someone, but my breath has taken my self-confidence and self-esteem. Some friends of mine seem to not notice my breath, they never rub their noses or show disgust while strangers/ colleagues definitely notice my breath.
I have tried multiple self-treatments, including taking probiotics, drinking liquid chlorophyll, performing oil-pulling and I am now considering to take CoQ10, to treat my gum disease (if there’s any)…
It is just very difficult for me, I feel like I am cursed and will never be able to live a life. This comment is really me trying to give it out because I am too scared to talk to anyone about my issue, even my parents know but they never address it…
Thanks for reading :(
E
I too am suffering. I have gone to numerous doctors who told me I had IBS, Gerd now Sibo, but the issue with bad breath continues. My personality has completely changed as I am scared to kill people slowly with my HORRIBLE breath that I cannot smell, but it’s obvious its offensive.
I am scared to eat because when I don’t eat – there is no bad breath!! I just changed doctors and after crying in her office she suggested I try the Low-Fodmap diet. I will not give up this quest to find the cure.
Marisa F
NZ
I also suffered bad breath for Years! Oraltech Labs bad breath cure program included a 1 week dairy avoidance test and that’s how I discovered I was lactose intolerant !!! Anyway finally cured of bad breath at last !
Muddey H
Makkah Province
Please help me in finding a remedy for getting rid of chronic halitosis (bad breath) most of the docotors in Saudi Arabia failed to diognise this disease which I suffered for long term and I having unleaving pain at the end of the my tongue and having metalic test on tongue and having dry mouth.
ess
Bella – thanks for the reply. I am on day 5 now, and do not see results yet, but I will keep going.I am down to eating meat, vegetables (non starchy/non tubor), and nuts/berries. I recently dropped tea and coffee, as I am starting too experience acid burn in my throat. Not sure if this is due to dropping carbs. The change is drastic, as I ate carbs for my whole life.
Varuna
India
Ditto here! Grew as primarily on a veggie diet in India and then binging on sugars and cola during uni and internship. I fucked up my mouth microbiome. Completely removed anything starchy aka rice , potato and sugar was out too no candy or soda. Mainly eating vegetables, eggs and cheese. In a week bad breath totally vanished. I don’t even brush my teeth everyday now. I rinse and gargle my mouth after every meal.
ess
Bella- thanks for the reply!
I hope to have better results this week, as I had following your ultimate paleo plan, but many of the sites vary in their approach. I had been eating oats and corn products. The smell did not go away. This could also be due to eating bannanas, so I cut all of these foods out. I hope to have better results with this change. I am totally on meat, organic non starchy vegetables, and nuts now.
H
Ess, from what I read, dropping red meat and all meat in general might be necessary
Looking for answers
AL
I am so happy I found this thread. I did an experiment and eliminated all dairy and sugar from my diet for the past two weeks before Thanksgiving. My tongue turned pink and NO ONE backed up or rubbed their noses at work or at the store. So during the holiday I ate mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, a slice of cake, pie, had a coke and a few other sugary and dairy things. Now my tongue has that ugly white coating back and people started rubbing their noses again. If this is the cure I am willing to adopt a diary and sugar free lifetime because it felt amazing to be confident enough to talk to people without being so self conscious or covering my mouth to speak or backing away to reply to them. Let’s please continue to support each other so we can all find a cure. Please try the no dairy and sugar experiment. I’m going to go back on it again for another two weeks and if it works this time then I’ll know for sure.
Bella
CA
ESS- With the Paleo diet, it eliminates all processed food, sugar, dairy and anything that can metabolizes into sugar so basically it’s just vegetables, meat and fruit. However, Paleo does also eliminate fruits and vegetables high in starch. Berries are fine. I started seeing results about 4-5days after changing my diet. Naturally, I’m still insecure when talking people but have noticed that people are no longer touching their face or nose when I speak. Therefore, please post your results so that I can determine if it really works. The more we share our experiences the more likely we are to find a cure!
Bella
ESS- Also, it takes about 4-5 days for you to see results. Please check back in and let me know if it works for you. The more we share, the more likely we can find a cure for this problem. Hope this helps!!
Bella
ESS- I stick to Paleo from the online list of the Ultimate Paleo Guide which eliminates all processed foods (including syrups such as Agave,etc). Berries are fine. Processed foods tend to have some sugar and/or dairy in them. So basically, it’s all meats and vegetables.
I love spaghetti so it can be difficult to stay away but I usually just make the sauce and meat to help overcome my desire. Keep in mind, spaghetti sauces tend to have sugar in them so it’s important that you read the labels.
ess
NY
Bella:
How long did you have to be on Paleo before you saw results?
Also, are we talking about cutting all dairy, and carbs, or just gluten carbs?
Regarding sugar, I have cut out processed sugar and fructose, but eat berries.
Bella
CA
I have the same problem and this posts is such a blessing! I’ve recently began the Paleo diet and have noticed that the slightly white coating on my tongue has virtually disappeared and people aren’t covering their nose or doing any of the other aforementioned gestures. I’ve tried going vegan but that doesn’t seem to do much. Therefore, I have reason to believe that processed foods, dairy and sugar are the culprit. Carbs metabolize into sugar so although rice or pizza crust (gluten free too) don’t seem bad at first, but since they eventually metabolize into sugar they cause bad breath. I’ve noticed that most things cause bad breath 30 minutes after eating eat and if you think about it, that is during the process of your food breaking down,etc. With that being said, everyone please post your results so that we can find a cure. I plan on retiring to this site often to share my results and anything else that may be of help! Thanks everyone for your comments let’s stay committed to really solving this problem! Anyone else open to doing Paleo with me? Hopefully we can share our results and get to the bottom of this!
Ess
New York
Tee & others:
What are the results after stopping dairy and sugar? Do people still complain about any type of smell?
How long did you have to stop taking these sources before the smell went away? I have been off of dairy and processed sugar for 3 weeks, but no change in smell. I still get people covering their noses as soon as i am within 8 feet of them.
What are the follow up steps that someone may have taken to ensure that this bad breath stays away?
Chris
I have the same problem: sour milk breath after eating dairy. Even taking lactaid pills doesn’t help.
Tee
I may come bearing good news for sufferers of this dreadful affliction, although I don’t think my advice will be welcome with open arms, as it generally flies in the face of the standard western diet. And also, please do note that I am NOT a health professional, and you should always get a second or third opinion from health professionals if you are worried about following any advice that I may impart.
That being said, I shall continue.
I suffered from chronic bad breath for around 20 years, and maybe even before that (I’m 40 now) but have pretty much got it in check for the most part.
The main antagonists I found, for me personally, are, in no particular order; black tea, coffee, dairy, meat, eggs, fried food, sugar, white pasta, white bread, and generally anything that contains gluten. And the two obvious ones, which are tobacco and alcohol.
(I’m 99% vegan now, barre the very rare one or two slices of margarita pizza. And as a side note to that, I haven’t felt this strong and fit in years. It’s also a great deal cheaper than the standard western meat, dairy and eggs diet.)
It may sound like that without any of those things that there is literally nothing left to eat, but you’d be wrong! There are plenty of alternatives these days, such as brown rice pasta, vegan egg replacer, soy/rice/oat/coconut milk, green/red/white tea (red tea is my favourite, and is said to help keep you hydrated – google rooibos tea for more info) and a whole list of others. There is pretty much an alternative for any foods these days, including meat, and actually the meat substitutes are absolutely superb. Depending where abouts you are in the world, you may wish to check out Gardein products or Fry’s Family Food products.
Plus we have hundreds of different fruits and vegetables, grains and pulses that can be used in surprising and ingenious ways. Again, youtube and google are your friends here.
Which brings me to my next point. Eat a good amount of fruits and vegetables each and every day in your diet and make sure you’re getting enough calories, vitamins and minerals – it simply cannot be overstated. If you are to choose a meat, dairy and egg free diet, you must put in some research, as you will need to eat a bigger volume and variety of food. Also, find a B12 supplement (a very tasty vegan food called nutritional yeast often comes fortified with B12. And also, the yeast is de-activated before you worry.) And if you live in a country with restricted sunlight year round, like the U.K. for me, a vitamin D complex is a must.
Exercise! This helped me loads, and I honestly cannot stress this enough. Get yourself to the gym, or go out running, or do yoga, or all three. But push yourself though, at least an hour a day, everyday, and I assure you that you will see a difference.
Keep yourself hydrated. It’s no good chugging a litre of water down and expecting your body to keep you hydrated for the next few hours. Smaller sips work much better. Carry some fruit with you, like a couple of apples, as not only are they good for juice, but they also get between your teeth and give them a bit of a clean. Pretty much a floss on the go.
And if you are to follow the majority of my advice or thereabouts, then there are products on the market that can help you further keep it under control. I’m sure many of you have heard of Therabreath, and they do some decent products. I know they’re sold in many outlets in the U.S., and they have recently began selling a small range in the U.K. as well, which consists of the normal strength toothpaste, 2 different flavours of mouthwash and the mandarin mints. Their mouthwash works quite well, and you can even carry a smaller bottle around with you that you can top up and keep handy for whenever you feel the need to freshen up a bit – just a quick 30 second gargle when you take a trip to the toilet. I’ve also found that the range of Sencha Green Tea Mints work quite nicely, and helps produce natural levels of saliva. I personally enjoy their Chai and Mango flavours, but tend to avoid the ‘obvious’ mint flavours. They’re got a whole range of flavours, but have only tried chai, mangho and mint so far.
Well, I hope I have not left anything off so far, and hope that by following some of the advice here that you will gain some relief.
And if there is anything that I have forgotten and deem it important, I’ll be sure to come back here and make an extra post.
Keep your chin up people, there is hope for us all :)
Tee.
fellow_struggler
usa
I’ve been battling this for a few years. Here are some of the things that worked:
I got a prescription for a cycle of antibiotics. Taking all of these completely killed it for a while, but it came back.
I’ve sometimes found that drinking a pot of homemade ginger tea helps a little.
My experience confirms what others have said on this thread; completely cutting dairy and refined sugars is key. I’ve also found that coffee and caffeinated tea tend to activate the bad breath. I can have a single cup of black tea and the stench will be back within a half hour and will take days of diligent care to remove again.
I had known for a while that the smell was partially related to my sinuses, and my chronic post-nasal drip. I tried neti rinses, including “friggy’s flip-turn” method (google it). They did help somewhat, but didn’t eliminate it.
One important breakthrough I had was to discover that I needed to rinse my nasopharynx, which is the passage where your sinuses drain into the back of your throat. I leaned my head back and instead of misting it, I shot a stream of liquid saline into both nostrils and let it run into the back of my throat. It stung like hell at first; like an instant sore throat. I knew I’d hit a spot that hadn’t been getting reached by the neti rinses.
Long story short, I now have a routine that I do twice a day. After brushing and flossing, I fill a plastic nasal dropper (the kind used to suck snot out of baby’s noses; you can find them in the baby aisle of any drug store) with straight Alkalol nasal rinse (an amazing product), and repeatedly shoot it into my nose and sort of hork the stuff back through my nasopharynx and spit it out in the sink. This is kind of an intense experience at first because it’s unfamiliar, but you get used to it. Then I mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a little glass cup and stir in a little warm water, and gargle several times with that. Then I finish up with a tongue scraper.
I’ve found that if I stay away from dairy, sugar, coffee, and tea, that this method is reliably effective at completely eliminating the bad breath, but it can take a few days to kick in.
One last thing; I think part of the problem is that I have a swallowing issue, where every time I swallow food or drink, some of it gets kicked up into my nasopharynx, which then creates a breeding ground for bacteria. So, I carry those little bottles of saline nasal rinse and try to rinse out my nasopharynx after meals when I’m out. It only takes a second or two and can be done in a restroom.
john
uk
My girlfriend has bad breath, and can cure it pretty much instantly by rinsing her mouth out with a handful of water and one drop of tea tree oil. Bad breath is caused by bacteria, tea tree is a very strong natural antibacterial oil. It’s not the best taste in the world but a small price to pay for good breath. If you want to go a bit more extreme get some proper wide floss (dentotape) put a drop of tea tree oil on that and then floss as the final step. This ensures that the bacteria killing tea tree oil get to all those tough to reach areas in your mouth. I can really vouch for the effectiveness of this approach. I was hoping to find the underlying cause here, I’m sure it must be some kind of imbalance and I want to track it down.
Sandy
North Carolina
Thank you to everyone who shared information about the difficult problem of bb. Sad to hear that some have even lost jobs due to the bb problem. I recently decided to take drastic measures to rid myself from this embarrassing bad breath problem. I gave up eating wheat months ago after reading a book about wheat belly, but alas a puffy belly seemed the least of my problems when considering the stench coming from my mouth when I speak or breath. I had wondered if I were kin to a dragon. I had to admit that the love of my morning routine was the main source of my nasty breath problem. (3 cups of strong coffee with cream and sugar.)
I’ve decided to quit eating refined sugar as well as the fake stuff and kick the coffee habit. Is anything left…yes a fresh breath to look forward too….finally Rest easier NC dragon breath is behind me.
Grace
Virginia
Lemon water and ginger help my bb. Each morning on an empty stomach, I cut a fresh lemon into 4 pieces, squeeze into a glass and add 6 oz. of warm water. I purchase the ginger root from the grocery store, slice, boil and add honey. I boil approximately 20 slices in quart size pan. I drink 10 oz. of the tea each morning. Also, ginger capsules help. I take 2 capsules after each snack or meal during the day. I don’t know how ginger works. It just know it is an effective remedy. I’ve done some research and read that the body can be too acidic and cause bb. Alkalizing the body can help to eliminate bb.
entity
ny
I have had the chronic bb issue for at least 10 years:
I have read a lot about cutting sugar, so I will try it again. The issue with Sugar feeding a yeast infection is that this has never been studied by western medical researchers. In fact, they don’t even acknowledge the fact that a male could have an internal yeast infection. This is very frustrating. Here is a list of what has not worked for me:
Visiting Endocronologist (google getting rid of smell and you will discover that the source could be from anywhere within the body) no problems found in blood
Lung tests- no negative results
Acupuncture- she was sure that the cause was too much heat gathered at my core. This did nothing after 3 treatments
Upper GI/Lower GI tests- revealed nothing except for fructose malabsorption. This could be resulting in bad breath.
Giving up caffeine- did nothing to stop odor
Giving up eggs/meat- read that eggs and meat (even fish) contains choline, and this could produce a bad smell for days . This is where I am now, giving up meat/eggs/fish. I will need to add dairy to this list based on what I have read here.
Thank you for the input everyone. I am tired of being the offender in society. It’s hard to live a normal life like this.
Loren
Southport, UK
Hi, I’m pleased to have found this information. I, too, suffer from bad breath and have recently been trying to work out the cause. I searched to see if cheese and sugar was mentioned on the internet and found this forum. I have noticed that by licking my hand some times it smells bad, like dog dirt. But it has recently been getting better. Some days the smell is almost gone, but then it comes back. I’m a vegetarian, so thinking maybe I am not eating properly. I do take some supplement B6 when I remember.
I got my blood tested, and the results came back fine. I do have a slight gum bleed some days.
I do have a trickle of post-nasal drip in the back of my throat on occasion, and I am linking this to bad breath. I have tried have tried Pro-biotic (a course of tablets 6 days to cleanse the gut).
Also took Echinacea with goldenseal root. Had probiotic acidophilus 5 billion and tried drinking plenty of water. I did think my breath got worse if I was dieting.
So, now I’m going to try not eating cheese and drinking sugar. I’m a vegetarian. What is there left to eat?! I did hear that eating pickles helped and have been doing that. It can be embarrassing.
Harry
uae
Sugar and milk are the problem
Loren
I can confirm, a rinse out with water and bicarbonate of soda and water kills all smell, an hour and a half later it does come back, I’m starting to think it’s acid smelling now, I may try a anacacid tablet or lemon and water drink. You can drink water and a spoon of bicarbonate of soda but it depletes vitamins in the body.
Deb
Cali
Anyone had their gall bladder removed?
Randall
Chicago
Wow!!! Thanks to everyone that posted something. I was on line last night and couldn’t Find anything linking dairy to BB.. But this thread answered all of my questions. I was drinking a coffee with cream and sugar in it as I was reading this.. I’m done w the dairy and sugar starting now
Shelia
US
Just wondering if anyone found any solutions ?
ACISSEJ
I have this problem too, not so much with dairy, but anything sugary, I try to avoid them all the time. It’s a nightmare.
Cb12 mouthwash after eating sugary food seems to really help me though.
Cheek
Spore
I’m not alone but it doesn’t make me feel any better. .
Sue
Texas
Wow I thought I was going crazy I Also have experienced this as well . And it seems the foods that gives me bad breath especially sugar is what I crave the most.
Shelia
Us
I have the same problem after eating sugar my breath is so bad it makes people nauseated
sarai
I cannot believe I found this thread and I’m so happy I did. I first realized I had a problem when I was speaking to a friend of mine and she told me ‘you need a mint’ it shocked me but didn’t overly concern me. That’s when I was around 22. The next time was when I was at work and my client offered me a mint and I turned it down and she was like, ‘NO Really Try It!’ It was then I knew there was a problem.
These are some symptoms I was having runny nose, lactose intolerant, tonsil stones, slime in the back of my throat, stomach cramps when I would eat subway bread and constipation. I would always ask my friends and family did they smell anything and they all told me no. (Here comes the kinda gross part). So one morning, because it would usually occur in the morning, I took a cup and coughed up as much as I could the slime in the back of my throat. It smelled so bad that I almost fainted!! I’m thinking how is it possible they didn’t smell this!!
Also, forgot to say, I had a tonsillectomy done in desperation which didn’t do a thing for me except no tonsil stones. So I got married and my husband has been a big support to me. We didn’t live together before we were married so I had to tell him my secret that, of course, EVERYONE knew already. Since then he’s told me; of the things I eat what makes it worse. Bread, processed foods, sugar, dairy, some strong seasonings like garlic, moldy environments and some meats.
It’s hard for me because I have religious meetings to attend several times a week and I used to get the ‘let’s look behind us to see who has the bad breath’ face from people sitting in front of me, so now I just sit all the way in the front. Also after reading this thread and I have started drinking ACV/apple cider vinegar/ and lemon/lime juice both diluted with water for about a week now and my husband says he doesn’t smell it any more.
Hopefully this has ‘cured’ me but in my mind I still take all the needed precautions when around people-make sure abt 3 feet away when speaking, avoid talking too long and get out of there as soon as I can. I have to give a huge THANK YOU to all of you who are suffering and still posted your stories!!
MD
Sounds very familiar! Thanks for sharing
H
Hey, are you still eating the problematic foods or have you eliminated them completely?
Michael
San Francisco, Ca
Here’s my story with apparantly bad breath:
Began when I was in middle school. Teachers would itch their noses when they stood near me. Their reaction almost seemed allergic, as one teacher constantly itched his nose while looking at me until it looked red. Guys I k ew would ask me why my breath smelled foul. One guy said it was like smelling ammonia.
I told the Dr. and he said it was on my mind and to brush and floss. A year ago…I’m now 40, a supervisor actually asked me about it. She told me that she wanted to make sure everything was ok as I may have an issue with my breath and it isn’t a good thing for the workplace. I thought I was gonna pass out when she said that. I simply said that I would visit the dentist and thanks for the talk. I had to quit that position.
I am lactose intolerant. That began in my 20’s. I seem to have issues with sugars. Some fruits and candies will make me use the bathroom. And I may have a sour stomach for the rest of the day into the next…gas, etc.
Tests: I’ve asked for and received many CBC with metobolic, urine, stool, enzyme, had a diabetes test, which was negative. The dr says I’m healthy.
Deficiency: deficient in vitamin d. Take supplements and I’m now withing the norm. I did have low b12 and raised it with diet. Other than that nothing else.
Coworkers still grab their noses and look right at me without saying anything. But the facial expression is clear.
So….that’s the story. A few ex gf’s have brought it up but somehow the relationships continued.
So what do ya think?
lisa
Albany
How much ACV and lemon/lime juice do you dilute and drink, together(?) daily? A table spoon, half a cup? Thanks
Catherine K
California
I’ve had very similar experiences. The “itchy” noses, sudden 2 steps back from people you speak to, and a few brave or rude souls who take it upon themselves to inform me. Been offered mints and gum endless times. Meanwhile I spend a fortune on probiotics, digestive enzymes, tongue scrapers, toothbrushes, water piks, and breath products. On and on. I’ve quit jobs because it’s just become too humiliating. I am well-groomed and it surprises people. Of course, many dental and doctor visits which have drained my finances. I sleep elevated, have been on omeprazole and rarely eat foods on the ‘no’ list. So dang frustrating. Although I have a loving and supportive family, there are times I feel completely hopeless. I have a wonderful job again…..but just yesterday was informed by a co-worker on the use of dental floss. (I had brushed my teeth and tongue and flossed 30 minutes prior) So another position that it looks like I will be forced to leave.
Dasha
Yonkers
I had a really fun life before all this. When I turned 23, 10 years ago… my world stopped. I noticed people giving me weird stares and holding their noses. I thought at first I was not showering enough or something. Then I realized whenever I talked a person would jerk back or hold their nose.. Then it got to a point where I don’t even have to open my mouth for someone to smell it and recently a person can be several feet away and still hold their nose. Not to be shallow. I’m a pretty girl. Guys would come up to me and say you have a beautiful smile and then I say thank you and then they look at me as if they smelled death.. All this made me eat overtime to the max. I now weight 90 pounds more than before. This really destroyed my life.. Something simple as going to the grocery store is a challenge.. The cashier looks at me like I have not brush my teeth in years when it is the opposite. I brush like crazy, clean my tonsils, my tongue, douche my freaking nose.. use all kinds of mouth wash and nothing… I even went to the doctor, ENT, G astrologist and they think I’m crazy which tells me the smell comes and goes but I can’t figure what triggers it. This thread I just found given me a reason to keep going. I’m hoping dairy and sugar intake is my problem cause I eat tons of it a day cause I’m so depressed. Never thinking this could be it. I hope to get some results when I cut it out and I’ll post back… Take care and good luck everyone..
Hope
How did those things work?
Ryan
Melbourne
Hi All
I have had horrible breath for the past 5 years, it came out of no where for a guy in his mid 20’s living and eating healthily with the only bad habit being a smoker, it had ruined my confidence, social life and self esteem, I have been to two dentists 3 doctors and been online regularly after a bad day to find resolve with no results. After reading this I stopped eating all sugar (besides the small amount in bread) and dairy for the past 3 days.
I can’t believe the results I have nearly no tongue coating now after this short amount of time and I can no longer smell my own breath! I will update you all again after I have gone with this new diet for 2 weeks and let you know how I go,
Thanks to this forum you may have changed my life!
asa o.
United States
Hi, reading your comment is so hard, because I deal with these very same issues every day. I don’t have to speak and people start to cough and look at me holding their noses. I was wondering if you have found a solution.
MS
MA
I could just cry reading these comments. I have suspected dairy & sugar as culprits for my bad breath for several months now. But, this is the first time that I’ve had those suspicions validated. I’m in my 50’s and like the person posting this question, have been suffering since my 20’s. I started to piece together dairy & sugar as a combined threat when I realized that dairy intake was affecting the incidence of post nasal drip for me and later, a comment made by a friend about sugar causing inflammation and bacteria feeding upon the excessive mucous. I’ve been told by many health professionals that it is nearly impossible to reach the areas far back in the tongue that may be causing the bad breath.
I had a lesion on my tongue last year which was precancerous and, unfortunately, using baking soda-type rinses seems to inflame the spot in which the lesion was removed.
My life is dramatically limited socially by this terrible affliction. But, I had lost hope that any researcher was interested in looking at this problem seriously.
Now, though, I plan to limit dairy and sugar and see what happens.
Thanks to everyone for their comments.
SHOSHO
UAE
I suffered from BB since 20 years and tried every thing nothing worked except the following:
1. Brush 3 times but I use soap instead of toothpaste.
2. Brush teeth then clean tongue with glyciren then brush teet and tongue with soap again.
3. gargle with baking soda and lemon juice
Result clean tongue and BB is gone
Please if you try let me know
Scott
FL
I had a couple of questions on this interesting method…
What type of soap? How long have you been using this method? And how have you validated your BB is gone?
cpmt
Does anyone knows which foods contain oxalates ? they told me to remove from my diet and when I google it only gave me a list of 3 veggies. Thank you for any help.
Aw
Hi can you please elaborate on what foods you can eat? Maybe give some ideas of breakfast lunch and dinner. Thanks so much!!!
jen
Hello All! I can’t say enough how glad to know I am not alone! My BB does indeed get worse from dairy and sugar. I do believe that aside from an allergy…for some it may be candida yeast imbalance. I’ve toyed with trying to strictly follow the plan but had not been resolved enough..at 36 I’ve suffered enough embarrassment and isolation…
I will follow the advice given here and start with dairy and sugar elimination and step it down from there. Somehow just knowing I’m not crazy or alone makes me willing to fight. My PCP didn’t even take me seriously. I switched dentists frequently because they all complimented my oral health.
My gastro even thought I was silly and just prescribed meds for my digestion/constipation issues. We are indeed what we eat and what we eat in the typical American diet is junk and more junk disguised as healthy food. Many prayers for those of us suffering from this isolating affliction. May we all get healthy and smell like a warm summer day!
CW
My husband suffers from really bad breath, despite brushing and scraping his tongue frequently. Our church did a modified Daniels Fast for 21 days and in short, we eliminated dairy, red meat, all sugars *excluding fruit* (including those found in packaged/processed foods), processed foods, and fried foods. Our diet consisted of fruits, fish (that weren’t “bottom crawlers” like shrimp, catfish, etc) and vegetables (fresh or canned *as long as it didn’t contain additives/preservatives, etc), and water.
We found that following this diet, his breath didn’t stink AT ALL!! I am simply AMAZED that the source of his bad breath (and mine) was the foods that we were eating!! It didn’t happen overnight – took about 2 weeks for our bodies to rid itself of the toxins. Our fast is over, but we both intend to maintain this diet indefinitely. In addition to no longer having bad breath, we just FEEL BETTER!
Shelia
Us
Hi CW I was wondering if your husbands breath is still fresh or did it come back
Kevin
AU
Hi CW, I would like to know too if you and your husbands bad breath been cured once for all?
Krisi
Philadelphia, PA
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! I’ve had this problem for like 5 years! TOTALLY AWFUL and I sit home all the time being depressed! And I’ve lost a job I was at for 3 years because of it. (Jerks)
Ram
I used to have this problem, whenever I drink coffee with milk and sugar, and sit with my closed for some time, then my bad breath kicks in.
Then I starting carrying a tongue cleaner with me, so after the coffee or eating something sweet , I go and scrape my tongue and if I can I will also gargle my mouth with salt water, the bad breath is gone…
I read in one of the yoga practices, after you brush your teeth in the morning, in a luke warm water add some salt and potassium alum and gargle looking up towards ceiling and making khwg khwg sound…and spit it out.
Then mix lime in a luke warm water with one tbsp honey and drink it, first in the morning, this will also help in reducing weight and aids digestion, it has so many health benefits.
Then continue with your life….
CAS
I had the same problem with both pregnancies. It was dire! and very embarrassing as I had to have a box of tissues all the time to dry out my mouth and I had to be really discreet so as not to keep it out of sight of other people. A stress. With my second, when it happened again I decided to take myself in hand and I did a really strong meditation and with will power, focus, concentration and a sort of self-hypnosis, it went away. I somehow conquered it.
David
I thought once you got your tonsils removed you can’t have tonsil stones, I too suffer from this and hearing your story at age 20 man it hurts cus I was planning on having my tonsils removed I have been trying to save money for a tonsillectomy.
Jase
I’m a 40-ish male. Suffered the same problem with cheese — a foul breath that brushing could not cleanse.
For other health reasons I started drinking apple cider vinegar each day (about a tablespoon or two in a glass of water). Most people’s body pH is below 7, and it should be above 7 (about 7.5 if memory serves me). Anyway, I suspect that the acv adjusted my pH. Whatever it did, it COMPLETELY took away my foul breath. I can eat the hell out of cheese and my wife notices nothing.
You should Google: “health benefits of acv”. Just know that regular vinegar will not work. Also, you need it to be unpasteurized and with “the mother”. Bragg is the brand most recommended — and it’s pretty common here in Texas.
Why me
Same for me but its more so meats and dairy. I think I have narrowed it down. For me its an infection within your soft palette. The section around your adenoids, uvula, section where your tonsils are to include the back of your throat all the way up to your sinuses. Because there is no documented evidence that this is possible, doctors are quick and I mean quick to say that’s not it. Unless you have a before or after pic of your throat who can tell if something is wrong unless its drastic. The problem is, its not drastic The infection is directly under the skin camouflaged and interacts with certain irritants.
cpmt
ALKALINE foods and water will help a lot. NO RED MEATS, no milk, low carbs intake, alkaline water (water+lemon) or water ph 7.7 or higher google alkaline foods and avoid the acid ones. try this to see if it works..
James
I also have the same problem which I’ve been suffering for years. My bb don’t go at all it just intensify whenever I eat dairy, meet, and especially the worst thing is sugar. Whenever I eat sweets or anything with sugar like desserts and juice drinks I notice that people rub their nose when I talk.
I also notice that whenever I swallow my saliva the smell comes out of my nose, so I guess the smell is coming from my throat or my stomach because my mouth is close. I had tonsillectomy last year thinking that my bb was coming from my tonsils but unfortunately after the operation my breath problem still continues. I also tried probiotics but it did not help. Even the unsweetened yoghurt dont help but instead adding more to my bb.
The only remedy I know now is eating steamed leafy vegetables without any seasoning. It seems to help because my mouth feels fresh when I stick to this diet but it is very difficult. If there is anyone here who can suggest what else I can do to cure my bb please post it here. It is very difficult to live in this world with this problem. Please help me.
root
Toronto, ontario
Did you find a cure?
joe
well I smoke a lot, two packs a day, but I don’t think that is the cause of my terrible bad breath. my mouth and noise smell, especially when I take starchy foods milk and sugar. what do I do?
Vikk
I’ve had the same issues since I was about 18 – I’m 28 now, and haven’t figured out all the causes of bad breath but so far for me, its dairy, sugar, processed carbs (which is most of them) and I think there is a post nasal drip issue I need to correct as well since I have excessive phlegm on occasion.
I”m eating a lot more vegetables every meal and it makes a difference – along with Ecodent mouthwash… but after eating I still have issues (I’ve been snacking on cheese and dried fruits) – once I cut out all the problem foods I hope and pray this will solve this crisis for me. Good luck to all of you… there is a way to get our lives back! Maybe not eating and drinking the way we used to, but I’d prefer a strict diet to a limited social/love life at this point.
Same Boat
Hi. I just want to say that I’m in the same situation. I am a 37 yo male and I suspect it’s been going on since my late 20s. Dairy or sugar makes my breath terrible. I think it takes a week for the stench to clear after eating daily. The halitosis from sugar probably goes away after brushing and flossing. My dental hygiene is impeccable. As said before, it’s so hard avoiding those foods. I also had my tonsils taken out two years ago, but it didn’t help. I feel everyone’s pain. I’m bookmarking this page so that I could read it when I need strength.
Alexus
thanks for this info, I have suffered with bad breath most of my life and it can be devastating for one’s social life.
Lupe
I have suffered from bad breath for years. Sometimes I brushed up to 5 times a day, in addition to tongue scraping, flossing,and gum irrigation. I have tried probiotics, oil of oregano, increasing my fiber, etc. to no avail. I now avoid dairy and sugar. I have post-nasal drip and my doctor prescribed a nasal spray (Azelastine) that seems to help. I’ve noticed that since I started using it, and made dietary changes, people don’t step away or rub their noses anymore when I talk. I did a juice fast for four days (Kale, celery and green apples) and for the first time in years, my mouth tasted fresh. It’s hard to maintain, but may be a good place to start if you think you have food sensitivities. Try adding new foods one at a time to see how it affects your breath. Good luck to all of us who face with this terribly isolating problem.
Jamie
I really noticed after I had my first child…I had intense morning sickness that I had to drink water in order to swallow my spit. That was 24 years ago..anytime I chew gum…mouthwash or sweet drinks ….back away from me….please help
Pat
I agree with you Carolyn. I also have the same problem. Every time I eat anything with diary or sugar, including fruits, I get this odor that fills a room up. It goes away after 12 or so hrs. My diet is nothing but meat, grains, & vegetables during the week(at work). On the weekend I eat whatever I want. Don’t care who smells it. But on Sunday it is back to the same diet after 3pm. Crazy way to live. I brush my teeth constantly when I get this odor and nothing helps. I also take probotics and it doesn’t help. Does anybody know what this is?
Terry O.
I had bad breath for most of my life, and VERY few friends told me about it. I had constant post-nasal drip, due to my dairy allergy, causing bad breath. Once I cut-out all dairy, my bad breath went away (and started to hold women’s attention). I researched dairy products and found that no human should digest this stuff. Further research has lead me to being Vegan. Everyone should get an allergy test (and stop all dairy) to correct their life/health. No-other animal ingests another animals milk; they are weened.
Anonymous
My son developed bad breath about 10 years of age. It took a while to figure out it’s not due to poor oral hygiene. If he eats cheese I could smell the stench 6 feet away. It takes few days for the smell to go away. I confirmed this by repeatedly giving him or denying him cheese. I would like to know if there are any solutions? Are there any cheese digesting enzymes that can help?
Jo
Been eating lots of fruit-tis the season-and my breath from what I hear has gotten pretty bad. When a person has “bad” breath it can smell many different ways; overly sweet, like chemicals, or putrid.
Am wondering if the fruit has caused this as it only started a week ago? I had this problem a few years ago and started using enzymes sparingly and probiotics, started scraping my tongue, flossing every day, and gargling with a special peroxide type rinse. The problem went away, but it’s back. It’s very difficult living with someone when you know you stink up the entire room. So I have stopped eating the fruit and will see what happens, but I suspect that is the problem.
C.L.
I had severe tonsil stones. I had them so bad that I opted to have my tonsils removed (because stones would embed themselves there) at the critical age of 45 years old. It was just as the surgeon said it would be, very painful. Children of friends of mine had theirs out and returned to school after a few days. I didn’t feel completely back to normal until after 3 months. I thought it would solve my bad breath problem; it didn’t. Six months later while waking up from sleep, a stone came up from my throat and I just fell apart. I still have a problem because of dairy or sugar. It was very disappointing.
Carolyn
I too have bad breath after sugar or milk. I too have been trying to figure it out for decades. Call me crazy but I’ve also noticed that when I eat sugar, I tend to have nasal congestion and thick mucus drainage down the back of my throat. The doctor says that the smell comes from the sinus drainage. I beg to differ and think it’s more than that. It’s affected my life so much that I try not to sit next to others, avoid functions and family gatherings. I’m almost like a hermit and it hurts because that’s not my personality. I will try the suggestions mentioned in this site though. I’m up for any suggestion at this point.
maria
I notice lately that I have very bad breath maybe is the medication I am taking but I have been using this medication for one year, now and suddenly the smell is bad I am very embarrassed to talk around people, I found out is Tonsil Stones. My nose is dripping during the morning I walk everyday and the allergies are up here in Florida, I am looking for a remedy to stop the Tonsil Stones. I never suffer of this and is affecting me indeed! I brush my teeth morning and night, floss it, use mouth wash and still not works, it is not my teeth I know it is something else and after I discover tonsil stones I know that is what is affecting me! I am 67 and is too late to have my tonsils removed… what is the best home remedy? thanks ! Maria
cpmt
fresh apples too.
BL
Fennell Seeds (vitamin supplement) is great for helping to prevent bad breath. I take one in the morning with breakfast.
allie
Apple Cider Vinegar is a great breath freshener and is sooo good for you. It’s extra handy in a squirt bottle.
MH
Just take a chlorophyll pill every time you eat the offending foods. Chlorophyll will kill the odor.
Mam
I have been lactose intolerant for many years and always have to take Lactaid enzyme tablets whenever I have dairy. The last couple of years the intolerance has become increasingly worse, even with the tablets. To the point where I was having increasing body odor. Once I eliminated dairy from my diet, the odor went away.
I still have diary on occasion but I still have to take the enzyme tablets.
Dave
Saying that “table sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose” while correct, may be addressing the wrong problem. The issue could be a surface allergy instead of a digestive problem.
I have the surface allergy to sugar. When I eat sugar, my throat gets raw and I get bad breath. As a surface allergy, the shape of the molecule is important. Table sugar is sucrose which has two sugar rings. Glucose and fructose are both one sugar ring molecule and do not cause as much problem for me. I ran into one person who thought that it was an allergy to something that was produced by mouth bacteria after eating sugar.
Sucrose can be found in many forms in process foods. Some of the names it goes by are:
Sugar, dextrose, corn syrup, maple syrup, molasses, evaporated cane juice, organic sugar, agave nectar
MJW
I stopped eating sugar almost 12 years ago, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. Most important is that I found that my tastes changed, and that I no longer desired candy, etc. Certain foods began to taste sweet (beets, sweet peas). Of course I am a fanatic at reading labels in the grocery store, and simply don’t buy anything that has sugar. It limits my choices, but there is enough choice anyway. At restaurants, I just stay away from things likely to have sugar, e.g., tomato soup, and order items that are unlikely to cause the chef to be tempted to add it.
Steve F.
Just a gentle nudge – if you have an issue with sugar intake causing strong *sweet* breath, it would be important to do tests for the possibility of diabetes. A sign of uncontrolled diabetes can be strongly-sweet breath, which is reduced by the action of insulin or with oral medicines like metformin.
Sue
Google tonsil stones.
pc
Try probiotics – you can buy it at any health food store or walmart. It has solved my problems including bad breath.
Joan W.
I also have bad breath after eating too much sugar or drinking milk. My daughters say they have the same problem. My solution is that I try to avoid completely anything with sugar in it with the exception of fresh fruits. I get my milk products through yogurt and I make my own because too many of the commercial yogurts have sugar in them.
I have restricted my regular diet to fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, fish and chicken, yogurt, nuts and whole grains. I feel so much better and have so much more energy since cutting out all the processed foods, bread and sweets. When we are invited out to eat, of course I do eat some of these things and when I do, I have bad breath the next morning.
Here’s my theory–all of us have yeasts living in our bodies–yeasts feed on sugar. Could it be that when we eat sugar the yeasts cause us to have bad breath? Incidentally, when you decide to eat like this at first you crave the sugar but eventually that goes away and then you find yourself looking forward to a salad as much as you used to look forward to deserts. Really.