Can an Apple a Day Keep Bad Breath Away?

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Chispa Magazine Apple_PointaDesign_ShutterstockBad breath: an evil, but unfortunately, common occurrence.

We all get it from time to time, no matter how hard we brush and avoid garlic and onions like the plague.

Food particles, soft tissue debris and the dark, warm moist environment of the mouth allow bacteria to thrive, some of which are necessary. Bad breath occurs when non-oxygen breathing, or anaerobic, bacteria is trapped in low-oxygen areas of the mouth and continue to grow and feed. This trapped food and debris build-up creates a bacterial imbalance, releasing smelly gas molecules that cause bad breath.

Brushing and flossing can only reach about 25 percent of oral surfaces, so the majority of trapped bacteria go untouched.

The key to neutralizing bad breath is oxygen, which kills off the pungent, non-breathing anaerobic bacteria. Dr. Bob Kross, a biochemist and developer of oral health products since the 1980s, has created a product called Breath Appeal that seeks to do just that.

“We needed to create an oxidizing system that was both palatable and powerful enough to remain in solution long enough to reach all areas of the mouth,” says Kross.

And what household fruit is the key to the Kross’s bad breath breakthrough? Apples!

Breath Appeal’s formula utilizes the mild, natural acid found in apples.

Most oral health products don’t actually improve the bacterial imbalance, but either hide it temporarily by covering the odor or, worse, completely dry out the mouth. But Kross says the oxidizing solution of Breath Appeal “not only eliminates odor molecules,” but kills “anaerobic bacteria in the oral cavity, the source of bad breath.”

While Kross acknowledges that “it’s impossible to distribute the solution in a single bottle” of his product, he suggests combining two solutions before each use “to create the needed oxidizing action” of Breath Appeal.

“We use a proprietary mix of both the apple acid (malic) and naturally-occurring lactic acid to activate sodium chlorite,” Kross says.

Though snacking on an apple may not counteract bad breath woes, making a fresh, naturally oxidizing rinse a part of your daily oral routine can greatly improve an imbalance caused by anaerobic bacteria.  Kross says, “Scientists agree that a mouth without this imbalance is a mouth with fresh breath.”

Photo by Pointa Design | Shutterstock

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Marlee Archer

Marlee Archer

Contributing Editor at Chispa Magazine
Marlee Archer is a freelance writer with experience in journalism, public relations, digital media, and event coordination. She is a soon-to-be graduate of Georgia State University with a Masters in Mass Communication, where she serves as tutor and editor in the GSU Journalism Writing Center and staff reporter for the university newspaper The Signal. As editorial coordinator for CHISPA, Archer regularly contributes articles in the areas of health and wellness, fashion, and professional advice, as well as assists with social media and community outreach efforts. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, seeing movies and shows, and all things artistic. She hopes to continue advancing professionally and personally to uncover new truths for impactful expression to the public on a local, national, and global scale.

Marlee Archer

Marlee Archer is a freelance writer with experience in journalism, public relations, digital media, and event coordination. She is a soon-to-be graduate of Georgia State University with a Masters in Mass Communication, where she serves as tutor and editor in the GSU Journalism Writing Center and staff reporter for the university newspaper The Signal. As editorial coordinator for CHISPA, Archer regularly contributes articles in the areas of health and wellness, fashion, and professional advice, as well as assists with social media and community outreach efforts. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, seeing movies and shows, and all things artistic. She hopes to continue advancing professionally and personally to uncover new truths for impactful expression to the public on a local, national, and global scale.