Dealing with halitosis, also known as bad breath, can be a pain. You might have a huge presentation for a potential client. Or maybe a date with a cutie you swiped right on and you’ve been looking forward to it all week. Whatever the reason, a foul-smelling mouth can make your confidence come crashing down.

When it comes to foods that cause bad breath, the usual culprits like onions and garlic come to mind, and we usually know to avoid them when we’ve got big plans. But there are a number of foods that can cause bad breath that may surprise you. If you’re a frequent sufferer of halitosis, maybe this is why.

Here’s a list of surprising foods that can lead to bad breath.

6 Surprising Foods That Cause Bad Breath

1. Citrus Fruit

Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are high in vitamin C and good for your immune system and overall health. They contain lots of sugar though, and bacteria love to feast on that. The high acidic levels in citrus fruit provide the perfect environment for odor-causing bacteria that lead to bad breath.

2. Dairy

Have you ever noticed a weird taste or smell in your mouth after drinking milk or eating some yogurt? That’s because most dairy products are notorious for causing stank breath. Cheese, ice cream, and the likes contain amino acids that create excessive amounts of hydrogen sulfide when they interact with the bacteria in your mouth, giving off a sour or rotten smell. Milk breath? No bueno.

3. Meat

Attention paleo and keto diet followers! Diets that call for high amounts of meat lead to mouth odor. The body produces ammonia while breaking up the tough meaty fibers during the digestive process. The result? A strong odor that escapes through your mouth, and it’s not a pleasant one.

4. Coffee

Coffee is the ultimate hero on the regular for a lot of us, but it does a number on your breath. That freshly-ground coffee roast scent turns into a strong, off-putting, smell in the mouth. Plus, it has a drying effect much like alcohol, and a dry mouth is a bacteria-happy, smelly, mouth. Plus plus, if you use dairy milk in your coffee, then there’s also the aforementioned sour smell to worry about too.

5. Peanut Butter

Those of us who don’t have nut allergies know how amazing peanut butter is. It’s super good for you and highly addicting. Peanut butter is awesome, but the mouth doesn’t really care for it. Couple that with its pasty texture and you have an odor magnet. Peanut butter is hard for saliva to break down which allows bacteria that feed on protein and sugar to thrive.

6. Curry

Curry is amazing with its vibrant colors, exciting aromas, and the merriment of a million different seasonings that somehow still have their own individuality. With that being said, the spices leave a film on the tongue and in your mouth so their smell can linger for hours. If you’re someone who gets acid reflux or heartburn from spicy food, the acids produced from those reactions can cause bad breath as well.

Stay On Top Of Habits To Fight Bad Breath

Drinking plenty of water and keeping sugar-free mints and gum nearby are great solutions to fight bad breath throughout the day. When you’re home, take your fight against bad breath to the next level by using a tongue scraper to help get rid of stubborn odor-causing bacteria and keep your breath fresh for hours.