Most people have dealt with bad breath at some point or another in their lives, and it's extremely embarrassing. Halitosis, the scientific term for bad breath, can occur from something as simple as eating garlic and onions or something entirely different and much more serious. For example, WebMD says that bad breath may occur due to an underlying health condition, such as oral yeast infections, diabetes, kidney issues or respiratory tract infections. If you're looking to mask your pungent breath for a short period of time, then here are three science-backed, somewhat uncommon breath-freshening foods you will definitely want to consider chomping on when your breath needs a lift:

1. Yogurt

According to a study mentioned on WebMD, yogurt is an excellent way to combat your bad breath. As a general rule, your bad breath is caused by odor-causing bacteria that is in the mouth, including hydrogen sulfide. This study shows that eating six ounces of yogurt on a daily basis reduces that bacteria, which helps you reduce your chances of having to constantly freshen your breath. Plus, the study also shows that yogurt may help reduce gingivitis and plaque levels in the mouth.

2. Peppermint (and Other) Essential Oils

Essential oils do much more than improve the scent of your home; they are also an excellent way to treat your bad breath. All you need to do is put a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil into a cup of water. Gargle it and rinse. Some of the best essential oils to use for this include peppermint, lavender, tea tree, cinnamon bark, ginger root, clove bud and coriander. You can even chew some of these things, such as ginger root and clove buds, in dried spice form to mask your bad breath.

3. Cucumber

Cucumbers are made for much more than placing over your eyes when you're trying to relax and de-stress. A single slice of a cucumber can be placed at the roof of your mouth for roughly 30 seconds at a time to combat bad breath, thanks to the phytochemicals found within the vegetable. This process works because these compounds fight to kill off the odor-inducing bacteria present in the mouth.

Remember, these are only temporary solutions to keeping your breath nice and fresh. There may be an underlying cause for the foul breath, which makes it important to speak to a dentist as soon as possible if you can't seem to fight it off. A dentist can perform exams and review your oral health history to determine the exact cause of your halitosis and provide the necessary treatment so that it isn't something you have to deal with forever. Contact a dentist like Pittsburgh Dental Spa for more information today.