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"Everyone can agree that stinky breath is a major buzz kill; in fact, some research shows it&amp;#039;s the number-one turnoff on a date. It&amp;#039;s Just Lunch, a matchmaking service, recently surveyed over 5,000 singles and found that the highest reported turnoff (with 26% of responses) was bad breath\u2014above smoking, yellow teeth and rude behavior. Most folks might think that peppermint-flavored gum would be a quick and trouble-free fix. However, if sex is on the roster for the evening, you might reconsider. This common breath-freshening tactic actually contains chemicals shown to handicap your skills in the sack. The menthol in peppermint has been proven to lower testosterone levels, dropping one&amp;#039;s libido to very un-sexy lows, says Jacqueline Richard, PsyD, certified sex therapist in Santa Barbara, CA. And gum-chewing in particular can lead to some especially unattractive consequences. Harold Katz, DDS, a leading researcher on oral health, reports that despite any promises of fresh breath made by chewing gum brands, chomping on the stuff actually gives &amp;quot;oral bacteria something to chew on themselves.&amp;quot; Dr. Katz explains that bacteria in your mouth feed on particles in gum and emit strong-smelling sulfur compounds in the process. This leads to the very variety of off-putting breath that will cramp your style in the bedroom. And if that weren&amp;#039;t unfortunate enough, the air brought into your system from constant chewing could lead to excess burping. All symptoms considered, it seems as though peppermint gum should be taken off the menu if a night in the bedroom lies ahead. Luckily however, bad breath can be battled in ways that won&amp;#039;t impair your heavy petting. Robyn Youkilis, a certified health coach and founder of Your Healthiest You, recommends replacing minty suckers and chewing gum with peppermint tea. This liquid alternative is relatively low in menthol and better for digestion. Steer clear of high-menthol goods, and you can have your fresh breath and your nookie too. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/relationships/sex-tips/news/a47474/how-fresh-breath-can-kill-your-sex-life/>