Bad Breath Causes Explained – The Truth About What Causes Bad Breath

There are probably not many things in life that can make you as insecure as the worry or even paranoia that you’re suffering from bad breath. Obviously we don’t want people to view us a smelly or unhygienic and we know ourselves ho unpleasant it is to talk to other people with bad breath and we do not want to put our friends, family or coworkers through the same thing.

Before we can treat the problem it is important to understand the main causes of bad breath. In about 85-90% of cases of bad breath and the source of the nasty smell we associated with bad breath is due to the bacteria living in the mouth. Bacteria are living organisms that consume food and excrete waste products just as we humans do. The waste products that the bacteria of the mouth produce are called ‘volatile sulpher compounds’ and have a characteristically nasty smell.

There are a variety of volatile sulpher compounds that exist and that are excreted by the bacteria of the mouth. One example is the volatile sulpher compound hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is what gives rotten eggs their characteristically nasty odor.

The compounds are called volatile due to the fact that they readily evaporate at room temperature and quickly spread to the surrounding air via diffusion.

Below we are going to examine a number of factors which may promote the growth of these anaerobic bacteria and therefore contribute to bad breath as well as look at some other factors that may play a role. Some of the more common, yet less serious causes of bad breath include:

  • Having a dry mouth
  • Eating certain types of foods
  • Inadequate oral hygiene
  • Sinus and oral infections
  • Tooth decay

Here we will look at some of these main causes of bad breath in more detail:

Bad Breath Cause: Dry Mouth

Something as simple as having a dry mouth can help to cause bad breath. The saliva in the mouth helps moisten and cleanse the mouth of dead skin cells that would otherwise gather on the cheeks, tongue and gums. These dead cells are an excellent source of protein for the anaerobic bacteria of the mouth to feed on and subsequently excrete their odor causing sulpher compounds.

Many people suffer from bad breath in the morning and having a dry mouth is the reason as obviously we do not drink water while we are sleeping and we start to become slightly dehydrated. It is important then to drink plenty of water throughout the day and in the morning to replenish the water lost during sleep.

This is also the reason you can wake up with an extremely dry mouth after a nights heavy drinking. Alcohol is a diuretic that causes dehydration and therefore makes your mouth even drier than normal.

Bad Breath Cause: Eating Certain Foods

Some foods are associated with having bad breath and there can be a number of ways foods may cause short or long term bad breath. Strong smelling foods like tuna fish can linger on the breath hours after eating as the food particles in the mouth get trapped on and between the teeth. Other foods contain volatile oils which, after digestion, are absorbed by the bloodstream and carried to the lungs where they are noticed as we breathe until the oils have been eliminated from the bloodstream. Two examples of this are onions and garlic which can cause bad breath for up to three days after eating them!

Bad Breath Cause: Improper Oral Hygiene

Failing to floss properly and brush your teeth, gums and tongue correctly will make your mouth the ideal breeding ground for the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath. If we fail to floss food particles and plaque remain in the small spaces between teeth and in the gum line. The bacteria can then feed on the food particles as well as have an ideal place to grow beneath the layer of plaque that forms.

Similarly, failing to brush the teeth will not only leave food particles for the bacteria to eat but beneath the plaque is an area starved of oxygen which provides the ideal conditions for the bacteria to live and excrete their foul smelling waste products.

Failing to clean the tongue properly is one of the major causes of bad breath. The back of the tongue provides excellent conditions for the growth of bacteria and therefore it needs to be cleaned regularly.

Bad Breath Cause: Sinus and Oral Infections

Discharge from the sinus at the back of the throat can cause bad breath as the protein particles in the mucus, blood and pus can be used as a source of fuel for the bacteria. Similarly throat infections, bronchitis and respiratory infections may cause bad breath in the same way.

Bad Breath Cause: Tooth Decay

If the enamel that protects are teeth is compromised the bacteria have access to the soft protein rich tissue below and are able to rapidly multiply excreting a great deal of the foul smelling sulphuric compounds.

More Serious Causes

There are times when bad breath can be an indicator of a more serious underlying medical condition such as blood disorders, cancer, diabetes, liver disorders or lung disease.

Due to the fact that there are a great variety of factors that can cause bad breath it is always advisable to speak to a dental health professional if you believe you may have bad breath as they can identify the most suitable course of treatment for you.

For a more detailed examination of the causes of bad breath and what you can do to get rid of it simply enter your name and email address to the form on the right and claim your free 10 part mini course that reveals the secrets to bad breath.
———————————————————————————————————