{"id":493,"date":"2015-02-06T20:26:41","date_gmt":"2015-02-06T20:26:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.libertyvilledentist.com\/PlottingwithPotts\/?p=493"},"modified":"2022-08-11T11:10:02","modified_gmt":"2022-08-11T16:10:02","slug":"coffee-smells-good-make-breath-smell-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libertyvilledentist.com\/PlottingwithPotts\/2015\/02\/06\/coffee-smells-good-make-breath-smell-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"If Coffee Smells So Good, Why Does It Make Your Breath Smell So Bad?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The smell of fresh roasted coffee is one of the most popular smells in America. It ranked 4th<\/sup> on a recent Cosmopolitan<\/a> poll, and 51st<\/sup> on Buzzfeed\u2019s<\/a> list of the best things. But how can something that smells so good when you are brewing it make your breath smell so bad?<\/p>\n

Caffeine\u2014<\/strong>The biggest reason coffee leaves you with stinky breath is related to how your body reacts to caffeine. While caffeine does release dopamine in your brain and increases blood flow all over your body, which wakes a person up and makes them more alert, it also slows down your saliva production<\/em>. Believe it or not, saliva is one of the most important factors in preventing smelly breath. It is responsible for washing away excess bacteria and bits of food that fuel bacteria. So, after caffeine slows your saliva production, your mouth becomes a more hospitable home for bacteria, which in turn release smelly sulfur compounds as they digest the bits of food on your teeth. The more bacteria releasing these compounds, the worse your breath smells.<\/p>\n

Dairy and Sugar\u2014<\/strong>When you mix milk or cream or sugar into your coffee you are adding another component that bacteria love to chow down on. These additions, especially sugar, can send bad breath causing bacteria into overdrive, and leave those around you wishing they had a breath mint to give you.<\/p>\n

Acid\u2014<\/strong>Coffee is acidic, and when you drink it temporarily lowers the pH level of your mouth slightly. As it turns out, bacteria reproduce more quickly in mouths that are slightly more acidic than normal. When combined with the fact that there is less saliva to wash everything away, your mouth becomes a great place for bacteria to spawn.<\/p>\n

Tips for avoiding coffee breath: <\/strong>If you are going to drink coffee it is pretty much impossible to avoid getting coffee breath after, but here are several ways to make your breath smell better if you can\u2019t brush your teeth or pop in a breath mint\u2026<\/p>\n