Joy Bauer MS, RD, CDN TODAY nutritionist and diet editor • Profile • E-mail

It’s true that halitosis (the medical term for bad breath) is typically caused by what you’ve eaten.

The biggest offenders include cheese, coffee, onion and garlic. Garlic and onions are particularly potent, because they contain compounds that are absorbed into the bloodstream and expelled by the lungs long after you’ve eaten.

Only time can really cure garlic or onion breath, but for most other food-related types of halitosis, a sprig of parsley, a good brushing (teeth and tongue), or some sugarless gum, mouthwash or mints should do the trick.

On the flip side, bad breath can also be caused by what you’re NOT eating!

Fasting or going for long periods of time without eating can be problematic (typically experienced by people suffering from eating disorders).

And EXTREME low-carbohydrate diets are also notorious for causing “ketone breath,” a particularly rank brand of halitosis that is the result of forcing your body to burn fat, instead of carbohydrate, for fuel.

Finally, many medical conditions can contribute to bad breath, including periodontal disease, xerostomia (dry mouth), respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis or bronchitis, postnasal drip, diabetes, gastrointestinal issues and liver or kidney disease.

If you clean up your diet and still feel like you have dragon breath, you may want to see your internist to rule out any underlying illnesses.

Joy Bauer is the author of “Food Cures.”

For more information on healthy eating, check out Joy’s Web site at www.joybauernutrition.com.

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