The Big Stink: New report reveals skipping breakfast leads to bad-breath

Teens are well known for having erratic eating patterns, but they may want to get out of bed a little earlier this summer and start the day with breakfast if they want to avoid killer bad breath.

According to new research, skipping “the most important meal of the day” can make bad breath twice as bad amongst teenagers.

The report, issued by the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, has provided proof that teenagers are twice as likely to suffer from bad breath if they decide to give their bowl of cornflakes a miss in the morning.

The study also revealed that almost a fifth of the participants questioned admitted that they had missed breakfast and of these one in three suffered from bad breath. This was significantly more than those who had eaten breakfast.

And, according to the report, only about half of those who presented with bad breath were conscious that they were suffering from it. There’s nothing worse than being told you have bad breath so let’s do something about it!

Our very own Dr Bramley thinks the new findings could be a positive wake-up call for teenagers who may not take their oral health seriously.

He said: “Bad breath is an issue that affects all of us at some time and stage in our lives. Breakfast is commonly known as an important meal and we know that skipping it isn’t very good for our bodies. So this study has given us, and particularly teenagers, a whole new reason to make sure we have our breakfast in the morning.

“Having bad breath, of course, is embarrassing and can have a big impact on a teenager’s social life and can lead to low self-esteem. So by doing something as simple as eating breakfast, it can have a big positive effect on a person’s life.”

The research also revealed that not cleaning the tongue thoroughly was another major factor in a person developing bad breath.

Persistent bad breath is usually caused by the smelly gases released by the bacteria that coat the teeth, gums and tongue. But bad breath may also be a signifier of an underlying condition including infections in the throat, nose or lungs; sinusitis; bronchitis; diabetes; or liver or kidney problems.

Apart from having a healthy breakfast that is low in sugar, here are three really useful tips to keep bad breath at bay…

– Ensure you brush your teeth last thing at night and at least one other time daily with fluoride toothpaste and ensure you clean your tongue properly with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper to remove all harmful bacteria.

– Clean in between your teeth with ‘interdental’ brushes or floss at least once a day as brushing alone only cleans up to about 60% of the surface of your teeth.

– Visit a dentist regularly, as often as the dentist recommends. A dentist will be able to spot any potential oral health problems in their early stages, and will give you advice on how to tackle them.

For more information about how to keep your breath fresh and your oral health in check visit www.ewanbramley.com