What Are The Top 4 Bad Breath Causes?
This article will look at the top four causes of bad breath and what you can do about it. Whether it is you or someone that you know, bad breath or halitosis as it is also known, is usually caused by bacteria in the mouth and can be embarrassing to all of those around the sufferer. But there are solutions to help cure bad breath and some of them are very simple.
Smoking
You’ve heard the saying that it’s not nice to kiss a smoker, and the reason is that their breath smells of nicotine and tar (and often even tastes like it too – yuk!). Obviously the solution in this case would be to give up cigarettes altogether which can be done with aids like nicotine patches, but if the smoker isn’t prepared to give up their habit then rinsing their mouth or chewing on gum can help remove the odour.
Dry Mouth
If you are not producing enough saliva then bacteria isn’t being washed away and can often multiply in the mouth and take home between the teeth and gums. Dry mouth (or xerostomia) is usually caused by aging or dehydration. If this is the cause of your bad breath then increasing your fluid intake is likely to correct the problem. If your dry mouth is caused by illness or disease then your doctor can prescribe a saliva like supplement that you can take as well.
Food
Certain foods such as garlic and seafood can cause bad breath as the odour of the food will linger in the mouth or gut. Usually the cure is just to rinse your mouth with mouthwash or brush and floss after each meal. Chewing on mint or parsley is also beneficial. Certain high protein diets such as the Atkins diet has also be known to cause smelly breath as well as bacteria loves to feed on protein and dairy and can produce more sulphur compounds as a result.
Tooth Decay
If you have tooth decay or gum disease this is often a cause of halitosis as the bacteria in the infection, along with the warm moist conditions of the mouth can cause the bacteria to multiply fast. Often the only solution is to visit your dentist or mouth care professional to help clear up your condition.
Of course there are many other causes for bad breath but these four are the most common and are usually the easiest to fix.