Yogurt and fruit might not seem as vital to a teen morning ritual as ProActiv or an AmericaEagle crop top, but the side effect now associated with skipping breakfast is serious: it can lead to bad breath.

The worst part: not knowing.

New research published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene has shown evidence that teens were almost twice as likely to suffer from bad breath when they skip breakfast, according to dental health.org

The study found that almost a fifth of the participants questioned admitted that they had missed breakfast and of these one in three (36 percent) suffered with bad breath. This was significantly more than those who had eaten breakfast.

Only about half of those who presented with bad breath were conscious that they were suffering from it. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr. Nigel Carter OBE, believes the findings could help to have a positive effect on teenager’s personal development.

A word to the wise: Make time for a quick meal on the go:

  • Plain yogurt with fresh fruit. (A provider of casein, a protein found in milk that is particularly useful for fortifying the tooth’s surface, yogurt also contains calcium and phosphates that remineralize the teeth.)
  • Grilled-cheese sandwich made with whole-grain bread and two-percent cheese.
  • Homemade instant breakfast shake.
  • Mixed nuts; fruit; glass of low-fat milk. Fresh fruit, like veggies, contains fiber that stimulates saliva production. According to HuffingtonPost.com, pears, had a larger acid neutralizing effect on tooth surface than other types of fresh fruit, including bananas, apples, mandarins and pineapples.

Learn more at: https://www.dentistrytoday.com/news/todays-dental-news/item/270-teenagers-who-skip-breakfast-more-likely-to-have-bad-breath