Five Bad Breath Causes

There is nothing worse than being near someone that has bad breath. For a majority of people ( 85 to 90%) bad breath, or halitosis as it is also called, is produced from oral bacteria. That waft of the offensive smell is very off-putting. In most instances, the person with the offensive smell has no idea that they are suffering from this problem. But what are bad breath causes? This article outlines the five common causes of this annoying problem.

Here are the top five causes:

#1 - Food - What you eat will directly affect on your breath. Some foods can be worse than others and they all affect people in different ways. However the most common offending foods include garlic, onions and some spicy foods. Also a diet with a lot of protein.

There are many foods with high protein - meat, fish seafood, eggs and dairy foods are obvious examples. The bad breath is the waste products ( volatile sulfur compounds) that are produced by bacteria as they consume protein. Therefore the bacteria in our mouth is feeding on the protein we consume.

#2 - Dry Mouth - Also known as xerostomia is one of the main bad breath causes. This is caused in a few ways including the altering of the pH balance in the mouth and produces an environment that is much more conducive to the growth of anaerobic bacteria. Because there is less saliva the flushing and cleansing benefits of saliva is reduced - bacteria is more concentrated in the saliva especially in the accumulation of bacteria and cellular debris in the oral cavity. Also, when we sleep we don't produce as much saliva. That is why you wil often notice that you breath smell is worse in the morning. Common causes of xerostomia include ageing, insufficient fluid intake, using alcohol based mouth rinses, and numerous medications.

#3 - Smoking - The tar and nicotine gets stuck in your mouth if you are a smoker, especially on the tongue and teeth. It also relates to number 2 of this article - dry mouth that is also produced by smoking. Smoking also increases the temperature in the mouth, causing damage to the oral tissues in the mouth.

#4 - Teeth Diseases - Many teeth diseases including decay in the mouth can produce that bad smell, including periodontal disease (gum disease). This is a bacterial infraction that is located in the tissue that surround the teeth. Often the bacteria resides so deep in the tissue that a person cannot effectively cleanse them. These pockets are an idea place for the bacteria to live. However, you can make sure that you floss regularly and also brush your teeth, and if the problem continues then it is best to visit your dentist.

#5 - Sinus - This can also affect the quality of a persons breath because the postnasal drip that is created by sinus conditions and allergies can deposit onto the bad portion of a person's tongue. This discharge can have a bad smell and taste. As well, bacteria can feed on this discharge, thus adding to the bad breath problem.

If you think you have halitosis, or if you are a sufferer,then go to your dentist or doctor for further help. or go buy a guide on the topic. There are many great guides available online to download.

Bad Breath Cause - Cure

Where there is a cure, there is a cause behind that cure. Understanding what is going on with your breath will help you understand why the cure will work towards bringing you the results you are looking for. You may be saying "I don't care why it's going to help me, I just want my bad breath fixed!"

While that is an understandable reaction, it does help to know what is causing the problem and why the cure is able to work. Reason being, you simply may not have access to a particular bad breath cause & cure. Perhaps the particular herbal remedy or health facilities for certain cures just are not in your area. In the absence of the exact cure written here, understanding the nature of the cure and why the cure works will help you find an alternative if needs be.

Perhaps the most common cause of bad breath is poor dental hygiene. If one does not brush properly, or neglects flossing, it is likely that foul breath odors are common. While it is often thought that it is the toothpaste that kills the bad breath, that is just a temporary solution. The flavored toothpaste masks the odor, but it does not fight the bacteria that causes the odor.

The cure: Brush after every single meal, and floss almost as much. It is the food left remaining in your mouth that invites bacteria to take up residence there. To show its gratitude, bacteria emits sulfur gas as a waste product, leaving you with bad breath. Don't give bacteria such a posh home inside your mouth! Make it inhospitable for bacteria by brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash.

Yet another cause is dry mouth. When your mouth is overly dry, it does not produce the necessary saliva to rinse away bacteria. Dry mouth is a very common occurrence, most notably when you first wake up in the morning (the condition known as "morning breath"). Drinking water before you go to bed at night, and again first thing in the morning will go a long way in alleviating morning breath.

But morning is not the only time the dry mouth rears its ugly head. Some medications and illnesses can also cause dry mouth throughout the day. Sucking on hard candy or chewing sugar-free gum will bring about a natural flow of saliva, rinsing away all that unwanted bacteria. Also, avoiding cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and similar products will keep the throat more moist with a better saliva flow.

Bad breath is also caused at times by various infections. Bronchitis and infections of the lungs can often produce dead cells that are either swallowed or coughed up. Sinus infections produce a kind of drip that also results in the release of dead cells. These cells can remain in the throat, on the tongue, inside the cheeks, gums, and teeth. As these dead proteins decay, they too become food for bacteria. As in any situation where bacteria finds a playground, bad breath is soon to follow.

The cure: Sicknesses of this magnitude are not in the realm of home remedies. Speak with your primary physician and discuss the best way to deal with the particular infection you are experiencing. If you are suffering from any of these illnesses, bad breath should not be your primary concern. Get healthy, and the breath issue should sort itself out.

Most Effective Bad Breath Remedy

There are a lot of different home remedies that are known to cure bad breath. But one main remedy that should always be considered first is oral hygiene. This can be accomplished by tooth brushing at least two to three times a day. You must scrape your tongue as well because the tongue is where a lot of odor originates since bacteria love to live on a texture like of the tongue. Scraping the tongue is usually skipped in most people's oral hygiene routine.

Aside from brushing, flossing allows you to remove very small particles of food that are stacked between teeth and around gums where toothbrush can not usually get to. Flossing first before brushing helps loosen up food particles that brushing can then get rid of. Another thing to be done on a daily basis is the use of mouthwash. Gargling antibacterial mouthwash decreases the amount of bacteria in the mouth and helps neutralize odors.

For overall health of your mouth, it is still recommended to see a dentist regularly. The American Dental Association recommends seeing your dentist every 6 months. By doing this, your dentist has the chance to check your teeth for tooth decay, evaluate the health of your gums and they will have to opportunity to check for any indications of cancer, diabetes or vitamin deficiencies. Dentists also check your face, neck, lymph nodes and the movement of your lower jaw joints for overall dental health.

You may have already heard of every home remedy in the book to cure bad breath, but the thing that is easiest and will give you the best results is to simply keep up with a proper oral hygiene routine.

Bad Breath Causes - What Can Cause Bad Breath

You know the feeling. You are talking to someone and you can just see in their eyes that your breath is smelly. You try to talk with a lower voice, but that doesn't really help.

The next time you talk to a person, you stand a little farther away but the other person can still smell your foul breath.

Eventually, you get worn down and you feel afraid to talk to people because you just know your breath smells. Having smelly breath can actually lead to depressions, so make sure you do something about your condition.

I've been where you are now and after doing some research, this is what I discovered:

The top reason for halitosis is:

#1 - Wrong Food

The most common reason for bad breath is eating something that stinks. Garlic, onions, spicy food and stuff like that can cause temporarily halitosis.

#2 - Dry Mouth

The second most common cause for bad breath is a dry mouth. When your mouth is dry you produce less salvia and get more bacteria on your tongue as a result.

The bacteria in your mouth are what causing your breath to smell and the only way to get rid of bad breath are to get rid of the bacteria.

You see, the bacteria on your tongue are producing waste and that is what smells so bad. You cannot just remove the waste. You have to remove the cause of the bacteria and make sure that they doesn't have optimal living conditions.

Bacteria require a dry environment with little oxygen so make sure you drink a lot of water.

What Are the Causes of Bad Breath?

Bad breath is a very big problem for a lot of people. In most cases (like 80%) the smell comes from bacteria in the mouth. To find out if you your breath stink, try take licking the back of your hand and smell it after a few minutes. You could also ask a close friend. Let's dig in and look at some of the common causes:

Bad oral hygiene:

Very often, the odor comes from bacteria in the mouth, especially on the teeth and tongue. This comes from bad oral hygiene or teeth diseases. This could also be because you have old food stuck in between your teeth. Overcome this by using dental floss regularly and drink lots of water.

Alcohol, coffee and tobacco

Another common cause is smoking. When you smoke, tar and nicotine gets on your teeth and your tongue and makes your mouth dry.

A dry mouth is the perfect living condition for the bacteria.

If you're a heavily coffee drinker, then your problem might lie there. Especially if you take milk in your coffee. You can help this by drinking a large glass of water right after your coffee. Excessive use of alcohol can also give you a really bad breath, especially if you drink over a longer period of time, but then you have another, more serious, problem.

Garlic, onions and strong food

It's no secret that garlic makes your breath stink. So if you have problems with your breath, make sure to avoid garlic, onions and other strong foods like the plague. The reason that these foods has such a profound effect on your breath, is because they contain odor-causing sulfur compounds.

Sometimes, but not often, bad breath can also have other causes that has nothing to do with your oral hygiene. It can originate from your lungs or your stomach, but that's very rare.

Get Rid of Your Chronic Bad Breath Instantly

Do you find yourself with smelly breath even when you have kept to a strict dental hygiene? If so, you may be suffering from chronic bad breath. The way to get rid of your chronic bad breath instantly lies in your ability to identify the main cause of your breath condition.

For a start, you can check with your dentist if you are suffering from any gum disease. If your gums tend to bleed after brushing, your gums may need further examinations. This is because gum disease may signal something more serious such as kidney or liver disorder. Most of us cannot tell the cause just from our gums so the best way is to consult your doctor.

Another common cause is sinus infection. This tends to happen when too much of your mucus is left in your nasal tracts. The bacteria residing in them break them down and release foul smelling gases through your breath. Your doctor may administer nasal spray to help you clear your nasal tract.

If you do not suffer from any of the above medical conditions, your chronic bad breath could be due to your diet. Certain foods like garlic and onion could be drying your mouth out. As such, bacteria in your mouth may start to multiply in numbers causing your breath to be less than nice smelling. If you are wondering if you are indeed suffering from bad breath, you may want to consider using a haliometer. This device tracks your sulfur dioxide levels and gives you a reading to tell you how smelly your breath is.

Do You Have Chronic Bad Breath?

Chronic bad breath is something we can have without being aware of it. The fact is that we are unable smell our own breath, so we wouldn't know unless another person told us. Unlike our own body odor, which we can often smell on ourselves, it is rare that we can smell your own offensive breath.

This is not a usual situation. Everyone knows about your problem, but you can't talk to them about it. You can't bring yourself to ask them "Is my breath smelly?" because you feel no one would want to help you.

However, in the event that you have been told that you have this embarrassing problem, what can you do about it?

Chronic bad breath is a condition that is usually been treated orally. Once you are aware of the problem you brush more and longer, you floss more and no doubt you use more mouthwash. You consult with your dentist and ensure that all your teeth are in good shape and that you aren't suffering from periodontal disease.

But what if, after all of that, the problem persists? Unfortunately there are people who even with the best dental care and hygiene still have an awfully offensive breath!

People in this situation usually find that the answer lies within - literally. Their halitosis is caused by the food they eat. Some foods or combinations of foods can generate offensive gases in the stomach which can then be carried by the bloodstream into the lungs and so produce an offensive breath.

The types of foods that can cause this problem vary from person to person and so it is essential, if this is the root cause of your bad breath problem, that you consult your doctor.