Chewing Gum and Bad Breath

Many people are frequent consumers of chewing gum and bad breath is one of the reasons why. There are innumerable variations on mint flavored chewing gum, all designed to make your breath smell minty and fresh, not to mention cinnamon flavor, and fruit flavors. There are some brands of popular chewing gum specifically marketed for halitoisis, but any gum will do in a pinch. North Americans spend millions of dollars on gum every year because we prefer its taste to the taste of our mouths.

Chewing gum and bad breath is sometimes a winning combination, especially if the halitosis is caused by a food. We all know that having garlic with lunch will make one an outcast for the rest of the day – unless everyone else around shared the meal. Gum will certainly help mute garlic breath. Odors on the breath due to other foods are even more easily masked, and the good news is that the condition is temporary in any case. It’s a good idea to carry some gum for those times when you need a quick and temporary fix.

But all cases of halitosis are not created equal: when the air that comes out of your mouth smells rotten all the time and it has nothing to do with food, you can load up the chewing gum and bad breath won’t budge. The strongest mint gum will only cover up the problem for a minute or two, and even a dedicated routine of oral cleaning doesn’t seem to make much difference. In these cases, you need a halitosis product that’s going to act on the source of the odor.

In most cases that rotten odor is coming from the back of the mouth, specifically the back of the tongue. There, bacteria are breaking down proteins and releasing sulfur compounds that smell foul. Breath mints, chewing gum and bad breath products purchased in pharmacies and food stores usually do not attack these bacteria, although some are medicated and there are new products appearing on the market that claim to do just that.

What is needed is a product that will reduce the number of offensive bacteria living at the back of the tongue, not just cover up the odor for a few minutes. Consumers can purchase mouthwashes with antibacterial ingredients, mouthwashes that contain oils that pick up the bacteria and physically carry them off, and products that deliver oxygen to destroy anaerobic odor producing bacteria (bacteria that can’t live in the presence of oxygen). All of these approaches have promise. There are even some product lines that include chewing gum and bad breath mints that are designed to combat the bacteria while they freshen the breath.

It’s about time.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Chewing Gum and Bad Breath, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._Drysdale

Home Cooking For Kid's Health

Vitamin C is an important vitamin for the body. Vitamin C helps the body immune system and helps the body detoxify itself.

Some home cooking may be required to get children to eat enough Vitamin C to meet the minimum standards. Children require a large amount of Vitamin C on a daily basis. Children with asthma have special requirements and need additional vitamin C to help protect the body from infection.

Just some simple home cooked recipes for children can provide the high level of Vitamin C that children require. Consuming a high level of Vitamin C daily for children is easy with these fruit and vegetable dishes that include scrumptious flavors. A one half cup serving of the Carrot Apple Raisin salad provides almost 1/2 the recommended daily allowance of the fruits and vegetables that children need.

Carrot Apple & Raisin Salad Ingredients:

*1 medium red apple, chopped

*1/4-cup raisins

*1 pound carrots, grated

*1 (8 ounce) container nonfat lemon yogurt

Instructions:

1. Chop Apples in your food processor

2: Process the carrots or grate them using a food grater

3. In a large bowl, combine all fruits ingredients

4. Add in the non-fat lemon yogurt

5. Mix thoroughly

6. Serve on a bed or romaine lettuce

Yield: 6 servings

A favorite home made recipe for children that is high in Vitamin C content is this Sweet Potato Casserole. This crunchy nutritious casserole can be eaten at almost anytime of the day. Who says you cannot eat vegetables that taste this good for breakfast.

Sweet Potatoes Casserole Extraordinaire

Ingredients

* 4 large sweet potatoes

* 1/2 tablespoons refined sugar

* 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Topping

*1/3-cup brown sugar

*1/2-cup chopped pecans

*2-tablespoons all-purpose flour

*1/4-cup butter or margarine, melted

Instructions

Prepare Sweet Potatoes or Yams

1. Microwave unpeeled potatoes until tender

2. Wait until the potatoes cool then peel the skins off with your fingers

3. Combine potatoes, salt and sugar

4. Mash until smooth

Tip: To Microwave the sweet potatoes quickly place the sweet potatoes in a sandwich bag, poke small holes through the bag and the potatoes. Set microwave for potatoes.

Prepare Casserole:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Spray a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Place mashed potatoes in the prepared casserole dish.

4. Prepare the topping in a separate bowl.

5. Combine brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour and melted butter.

6. Spread evenly over the Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

You can serve with whipped cream. This is a delicious side dish that compliments baked pork chops or chicken. Sweet potatoes are a very rich source of vitamin C. The entire family will benefit from these healthy recipes.

Do you need Kid-Friendly Recipes? Christine Steendahl "The Menu Mom" invites you to visit Kid Approved Meals http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com to pick up your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu designed just for children!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Steendahl