Food choices at work can jeopardize careers

Many of us find it difficult to make it through the work day. Answering mountains of emails, listening to your boss's lame jokes and sitting for long hours behind your computer may leave you looking for ways to help you get through the day. However, many of the things people turn to for assistance can lead to bad breath.

For example, coffee is a staple of the office workday. Many people use the pick-me-up provided by the caffeinated drink to get their mornings going or to help them overcome the late-afternoon lull in energy. While this may boost their productivity - at least momentarily - they may not be aware that it may also cause halitosis.

Coffee often causes bad breath because it is highly acidic. When the pH balance in the mouth turns acidic, bacteria thrive. Additionally, caffeine can dehydrate the body, causing a lack of saliva, which also enables bacteria to grow out of control.

A dry, acidic mouth is a perfect storm for bad breath. Odor-causing bacteria flourish in this environment. Because of the fact that few people bring a toothbrush with them to work, they may be unable to resolve the problem.

Aside from coffee, many of us make poor food choices while we're at work. We've all been there: it's been a long, hard day where nothing seems to go right. Then, towards the end of the day, someone leaves a box of donuts out in the kitchen. How can we resist taking one?

While resisting temptations like these may be nearly impossible, they are also prime contributors to bad breath. When people eat sticky, sugary foods, particles often become stuck in their teeth. If they are not removed by brushing or flossing, these remnants of late-afternoon snacking can begin to break down, causing halitosis.

Few of us are aware of our breath while we are at work. It can be hard to pay attention to these things when work starts piling up and we become busy. Additionally, it is nearly impossible to smell your own breath.

However, the condition can have serious consequences for your career. Everybody in the office knows the person who has bad breath, and they are often avoided. This is more than a social concern, as these people may be passed over for raises or promotions.

In order to remedy this problem, you may want to check out TheraBreath's line of specialty breath freshening products. Using these in the middle of the work day may eliminate the fruits of our poor dietary decisions.