The Primary Cause and How to Get Rid of Bad Breath

The primary and the ultimate cause of bad breath is the production of sulfur-producing bacteria inside the mouth. These bacteria, which also happens to be of the anaerobic type or those that do not require oxygen for survival are not altogether harmful. In fact, they are advocates of discharging dead tissues from the mouth and in aid of breaking down the chemical substances that enter it.

There are various causes that trigger the overproduction of sulfur in the mouth. One of these is the type of food we eat.

There are plenty of times in the past that the very food we consumed left the smell in our mouth. Such are the effects of garlic, onion and cabbage. This also explains why people who eat large amount of spices are more likely to produce body smell and bad breath.

Again, the culprit is the production of sulfur in the mouth. When we eat, we absorb the sulfur compounds contained in the food. Then, these compounds will be driven into the main bloodstream that runs back towards the lungs. Here, the lungs would, in the process, exhale the sulfur compounds. Thus, the smell emanates form the mouth. Additionally, the tongue itself would trap in some of the odor in the same way if we rub onion or garlic on the sole of our feet or the palm of our hands.

With this principle in mind, we could get rid of bad breath through avoiding the consumption of these foods. If you can't resist the urge though, you might consider the option of using alternative in the market that lessen the sulfur production after eating specific foods.

Meanwhile, people who practice mouth breathing could get rid of bad breath if they refrain from doing so. Mouth breathing or xerostomia promotes the optimized environment for anaerobic bacteria due to the factor that it encourages the drying of the mouth. With relative dryness, these anaerobic bacteria would be able to reproduce more due to the absence of oxygen.

This is further illustrated with morning breath. Apart from the stagnation of the saliva for a longer time, people who are accustomed to mouth breathing during sleep are more likely to have fouler morning breath as they would encourage the production of bacteria. Note that anaerobic implies that these bacteria only live in non-oxygenated environments.

Therefore, if you could refrain from breathing through your mouth, you are less likely to develop bad breath and thus curing the condition altogether.

Another main source of problem is the tongue. We often forget to clean our tongue due to a number of excuses. However, thus must be an integral part of any oral hygiene practice this would largely determine the presence of absence of bad breath.

Again, oral bacteria are the culprit in here. Those that survive in the surface of the tongue along with the food debris that are left exposed on eth surface would contribute to the formulation of bad breathe. Thus, removing the whitish or yellowish film on one's mouth would prove to be effective in curing bad breath.

Another issue with oral bacteria is the putrefaction of the teeth. Due to the decay, the tooth would also serve as a good breeding environment for the bacteria. Once signs of decay are seen, you must immediately seek professional help so as to prevent further problems.

You need not buy sophisticated devices as to achieve the sweet-smelling breath that most of us could only dream of. You just have to be are of the certain factors that lead to the development of bad breath such as that with the oral bacteria.

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Top Bad Breath Treatment Tips

Bad breath is a major problem to yourself, and much more to the people around you. So if you draw people away the moment you talk or you personally smell a rotten egg inside your mouth, then it is time to be conscious about your mouth problem and do something about it. It is time to read this bad breath treatment tips.

First things first; most bad breath cases are either situational or occasional so it can be treated easily by the following way...

1. Brush your teeth! This is the most basic thing you can do clean your teeth and remove that foul odor off your mouth, and it is effective too. Doctors recommend that you brush your teeth for at least 2 times a day with toothpaste with fluoride for a minimum of two minutes. Using commercial toothpastes is okay if you are having bad breath attack after you eat your lunch but they may provide a temporary relief if you have more severe case of bad breath.

2. Make your own toothpaste. As an alternative to commercial toothpaste, you can use more effective and less expensive toothpaste you can easily make. Just mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part salt; put it on your toothbrush and brush your teeth like you normally do. Soon, you have a whiter teeth and fresher breath.

3. Use dental floss. Aside from brushing your teeth and using homemade toothpaste, use dental floss at least once a day. This ensures that the food particles hidden in between your teeth are removed. Food particles when left out inside your mouth can breed bacteria that breakdown sugar and protein and produces volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) which cause bad breath.

4. Clean your tongue. The best way to treat bad breath is to attack the area where bacteria are heavily breeding. Clean your tongue with tongue cleaner/scraper. This is the most effective way to remove the foul odor off your mouth.

5. Keep your mouth wet. Bacteria thrive on dry areas of your mouth. You should therefore not allow it to happen. Keep your mouth wet by drinking a lot of water. Eating, which stimulates saliva production should also be done regularly. And, avoid commercial mouthwash that contains too much alcohol. Alcohol can make your mouth dry. As an alternative, make your own mouthwash by mixing 2 teaspoon of aloe vera and 24 ounces of water. Regular gurgling with water is also effective in bad breath treatment.

6. Each more fruits and vegetables. Carrots, apple, cucumber, and parsley contain antioxidants that effectively remove bad breath. They are also effective in cleaning your teeth naturally. And since prevention is proven better than cure, stay away certain foods that can cause bad breath like onion and garlic.

7. Let the dentist fix your problem teeth. Plaque, tartar, and cavities can all lead to bad breath. So make sure you go to the dentist and have them all removed/fixed/treated.

8. Turn down coffee and soda. Both contribute to bad breath. Switch to tea.

9. Chew sugar-free gums. Your aim is to induce more saliva flow to your mouth to keep it moist so that bacteria are washed away. And chewing sugar-free gums is an effective way to do it.

Bad breath reduces self-confidence. Thus when you know you have this problem, treat it immediately and be persistent.

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Easy to Follow Home Remedy Tips for Bad Breath

Americans spend $3 to $4 billion a year just to get rid of bad breath and maintain healthy teeth. But did you know that you don’t have to spend a little fortune and contribute to this figure just to treat bad breath and have healthy teeth? Believe it or not, your kitchen is abundant with products that can get rid of your bad breath. Not quite sure what I'm talking about? Take note of the following home remedy tips for bad breath.

Parsley – Nothing beats the power of nature but it is somehow neglected with availability of mints and gums. Chew fresh parsley and you will be relieved of bad breath. Now, you don’t have to wonder why restaurants offer it on your plate.

Crunchy fruits and Vegetables – Speaking of the power of nature, there are several fruits and vegetables that naturally cleanse the mouth. They are often referred to as "auto floss" for they act just like your commercial dental floss, but healthier. Such fruits and vegetables are apple, cucumber, carrot, and of course, parsley.

Mind leaves – Like fresh parsley, chewing mint leaves can treat bad breath. Seriously, is there any koala bear that has bad breath?

Cloves – Minty breath is often associated with freshness. Chewing cloves can give you that minty breath, naturally. Antibacterial agents from cloves are anathema to bacteria. Cinnamon and eucalyptus are two natural products that contain antibacterial agent, which are effective in curing bad breath.

Sunflower seeds and water – A handful of sunflower seeds (chewed) and followed by a glass of water can remove any after taste in your mouth.

A hot cup of tea (unsweetened) – This has been a practice in India. Drinking a hot cup of tea can remedy bad breath caused by dry mouth or morning breath.

Spoon – Well if you don’t bother to do anything to remedy your bad breath, but you don’t have a tongue cleaner, then why not use a tablespoon? It works fine in scraping that white/whitish thing off your tongue.

Pineapple juice – If you are bothered with the garlic after taste, drinking pineapple juice will work for you.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) – Now, baking soda has a lot of uses when it comes with bad breath remedy since it eats the all the odors of your mouth. Here are those...

• Baking soda and water. A mixture of baking soda and water is an effective mouthwash that will remove bad breath.

• Baking soda and salt. A mixture of these 2 can be used as toothpaste. Put the mixture to your toothbrush and brush your teeth like you normally do. Baking soda alone will work fine too.

• A pinch of baking soda, a pinch of salt, one part water, and one part hydrogen peroxide. A mixture of these can be your mouthwash. Use a tongue scraper and follow it up by toothbrush. Then, gurgle with your home made mouthwash for 30 seconds. Do it once in the morning and once before you sleep.

Lukewarm water – Plain and simple. Gurgle it before you go to bed. Add a pinch of salt if you want to.

Sometimes, we often forget that the things we can see around our kitchen are more effective in eliminating bad breath than those that are available commercially. Now that you are aware of home remedies for bad breath, you can get the result you want without spending more.

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9 Ways to Naturally Cure Bad Breath

Bad breath is simply bad. No question about it. But the good thing about this is that it can be cured naturally. How to do it? Learn these easy to follow tips:

1. Brush your teeth. Tooth brushing important to keep your teeth clean by removing food particles from your previous meal. The doctors recommend that your brush your teeth for at least 2 times a day. Replace your toothbrush at least every 3 or 4 months.

2. Clean your tongue. Use a dentist prescribe tongue scraper. This is important since bacteria harbor to your tongue the most. If you use toothbrush, make sure that you brush your tongue at least 15 times. Using spoon as an alternative to clean your tongue can also give you a good result.

3. Use dental floss and mouthwash. Regular toothbrush cannot cover the entire surface area of your teeth so you need to use dental floss at least once a day and mouthwash. If possible, avoid commercial mouthwash that contains too much alcohol. Alcohol contributes to dry mouth. Dry mouth is where bacteria thrive most and bad breath begins.

4. Visit your dentist to treat oral problems. Bad breath is sometimes caused by plaque and cavities of your teeth. Let your dentist take care of your dentures to remove your tooth decay.

5. Eat low fat diet, fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables such as celery, apply, carrot, cucumber, and alike clean your mouth naturally. Low diet food on the other hand keeps you away from those foods that contribute to foul breath. Also, avoid foods such as onion and garlic. They contain oil that when digested will be mixed with the bloodstream and produces bad breath.

6. Go for natural antibiotics. Aloe vera and fresh parsley can cure bad breath. They contain natural antibiotics that sweeten and detoxify your breath. Chew fresh parsley as often as you can. (Chewing increases saliva production and flow, thus chewing also helps cure bad breath.) Aloe vera on the other hand can be made as mouthwash. Mix 2 tsp. of aloe vera juice to 24 ounces of water and gurgle it in your mouth. Cloves, cinnamon, myrrh, rosemary, basil, thyme, and mint leaves are chewed to cure bad breath.

7. Drink plenty of water. Another natural cure for bad breath is drinking plenty of water. Bad breath is caused by anaerobic bacteria that break down sugar and protein into VSCs or volatile sulphur compounds. The VSCs are responsible to the foul smell coming out of your mouth. If drying of the mouth can be minimized by washing it off regularly by drinking plenty of water, the thriving of bacteria on your mouth is lessened, thus curing bad breath.

8. Quit smoking. Tobacco products contribute to bad breath. Smoking tobacco also causes some diseases known to characterize themselves by developing bad breath. Such diseases include kidney failure, liver failure, and lung infection. To quit smoking means lessening the chances of developing any of these diseases as well as bad breath.

9. Formulate your own toothpaste. All you need to do is to mix 3 part baking soda with 1 part salt. Put it to your toothbrush and brush your teeth like you normally do. That’s all! In the period of days or weeks your bad breath is history plus you have whiter teeth, not to mention the small fortune you have saved.

Curing bad breath naturally is easy with these tips. And the best thing about these is that, you don’t have so spend so much just to remove that nasty odor coming out of your mouth.

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How to Fight Bad Breath, the Wrong Way!

If you have tried several commercially available anti-bad breath products and still have not succeeded in stopping that rotten egg smell coming out of your mouth, then here is the article for you. This will explain why there are no changes in your breath even if you are fighting hard to eliminate bad breath.

Mouthwash.

Advertisements declare it: mouthwash kills 99.9% of bad breath causing bacteria. This is quite true. But if you try so hard to kill way beyond the 100% mark by using mouthwash excessively, then you are inviting worse breath.

Take note that some commercially produced mouthwash products contain too much alcohol. You must be aware that alcohol dries the mouth. What's the big deal about it? Bacteria that cause bad breath breed on dry mouth. This is the reason why it is advisable to people with bad breath to drink plenty of water to moisten the mouth. Mouthwash is effective if used correctly and if the alcohol content does not dry your mouth.

Infomercial items.

Buying products that are said to "fight bad breath" from infomercials can do you more harm than good. This is not to say though that all "fight bad breath" items being sold in infomercial programs are not effective. To be sure, buy items that are ADA approved. Look for ADA seal of approval every time you buy dental products whether it is from infomercials or any grocery store.

Breath freshener gums

To fight bad breath is to attack the root of the problem. Chewing breath freshener gums only masks bad breath and not effective in ending the problem.

Intestinal cleansing method.

Most bad breath cases originate in the mouth and not in the intestine so using the intestinal cleansing method to fight bad breath is completely pointless.

Brushing with cleaner

If you have gone this far, then you should stop it immediately. Brushing with cleanser is dangerous, not to mention, poisonous.

Smokeless Tobacco – If you switched to smokeless tobacco because you become aware that smoking tobacco causes bad breath, then you are not making any good. Smokeless tobacco is still a tobacco product and causes bad breath. Aside from that, smokeless tobacco can cause oral cancer, softening of the oral cavity, nicotine addiction, blood alteration, and gum effects.

Tongue piercing

Don’t laugh because there are people who do this. And if you are one of them, then you should stop it right now. Piercing your tongue can provide more venues for bacteria to harbor in your tongue. It causes bad breath far worse than before.

What should I do?

Having said these, the first thing you should do is to stop any malpractice and do the right thing.

Brush your teeth more often especially in the morning and before you go to bed.

Use dental floss at least once a day.

Maintain a good oral hygiene.

Visit your dentist at least once a year to have your dentures checked.

Make your own toothpaste from baking soda and salt.

Make your own mouthwash using aloe vera juice and water.

Eat fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.

Avoid foods, drinks and other products that can cause bad breath such as onion, garlic, coffee, soda, and tobacco.

Fighting bad breath is easy. All you have to do is stop doing the wrong thing, start doing the right one and have a common sense to know the difference.

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Cure for the Mouth, Release from Bad Breath

Have you checked how your breath smells lately?

Most of us have the difficulty of identifying if we have bad breath or not. More often than not, exhaling towards cupped hands would not help you identify if you have foul breath. Wondering why? This is simply because the mouth and the nose are connected in some sort at the back of the mouth. And our noses by nature, have the tendency to filter out the background odors. Thus, we cannot readily discern if our breath smells bad already.

But so much for that, you must also be aware of the conditions that cause the breath to acquire its unpleasant odor. While there may be a high variability in terms of causes, they still all boil down towards the oral bacteria that thrive inside our mouths.

There are also foods and beverages that could cause bad breathe. Some of these food work by leaving trace odors inside the mouth while others would promote higher acidity level. Smoking also contributes to the development of unpleasant smell. Aside from the smoker's breath, substances such as nicotine, tar and odor-producing compounds could accumulate in the soft tissues of the mouth and the area surrounding the teeth.

On the other hand, there are dental conditions that are seen as the main causes for producing bad breath. The putrefaction of the teeth would create optimized environment for the breeding of the bacteria. Thus, patients of tooth decay are more likely to have bad breath tan those would rather healthy sets of teeth.

So now, with the above given causes of bad breath how could we particularly find a cure for this troubling and equally embarrassing condition?

Simple, find the main source of the problem and treat it consequently. If your problem roots from the bacterial accumulation in the mouth for any given reason, you must be very aware that treatment should address these main problems.

While antibiotics are good options, they are seldom used in curing bad breath. This is largely because the sulfur-producing oral bacteria could in time, get immune with the effects of the antibiotics. Thus, you would only move from one does to another without truly alleviating the condition. Thus, you must go after long term cures.

Observance of proper oral hygiene is obviously your best option. You would not only be able to maintain a good set of teeth but you could also be able to prevent yourself from developing nasty mouth smell.

Dental plaques are often the culprit since they harbor the bacteria. These could be best removed using dental flosses that would be able to creep into the deepest crevices of the teeth.

Dental cleaning would also do the work. Often, brushing and flossing alone are not enough as proper practices are difficult to maintain. Therefore, with less efficient practice, your teeth would still be able to accumulate plaque and dirt that lie nearest to the bottom of the gums that separate the teeth from its root.

The tongue also harbors the sulfur-producing bacteria. There are specialized brushes and scrapers that would remove the white or yellowish film on the surface of the tongue.

The bottom line is, bad breath can only be cured through practicing proper oral hygiene that promotes both the health and the cleanliness of the teeth and gums in particular and the mouth in general.

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Prevent Bad Breath: Tips and Facts

There are many ways to avoid bad breath but many people often fail to prevent it simply because they practice wrong oral hygiene or simply neglect the proper way to take care of their teeth. To refresh your memory, here are bad breath prevention tips and facts to remember.

• Maintaining a good oral hygiene can prevent bad breath

A good oral hygiene starts the moment you develop your first set of teeth. Although you cannot bring back that time, it is not too late you to begin taking care of your teeth. A good oral hygiene means brushing your teeth after meal, flossing at least one a day (before you sleep), using oral antiseptic that does not dry your mouth, and visiting a dentist for at least once a year.

• Drinking plenty of water can reduce bad breath

Your mouth contains a good amount of bacteria capable of producing that rotten egg odor out of your mouth. So, you have to make sure that you wash away these bacteria regularly and maintain a fresh breath. Chewing gum (sugarless) is recommended to stimulate the production of saliva that will wash away bacteria and other food particles. Refrain from drinking coffee, alcohol and soft drinks.

• Using fairly new toothbrush and other dental care products to ensure effective oral care.

Replace your tooth brush every 3 to 4 months. Choose a soft-bristled one. A tongue cleaner should be kept clean. Buy good dental floss and oral antiseptic with American Dental Association approval.

• Mouthwash alone will not remove bad breath

Some mouthwash products act like chewing gum that only masks bad breath and replace it with a new and pleasant one. However, mouthwash will help kill germs and bacteria that cause bad breath.

• Breathing into your hand will not tell if you have bad breath or not.

This is because you are used to your own smell and would not be able to detect if the breath you emit is foul or not. Also, when you breathe you use your throat differently as you do when you talk so you cannot tell if you have bad breath or not. To make sure that you have a pleasant breath, just maintain a good oral hygiene.

• Brushing alone will not prevent bad breath

Different people have different ways to brush their teeth. Some complete their tooth brushing under a minute while some require more than that. But no matter how quick or how long you brush your teeth, it does not ensure that you will no longer have bad breath. Since bad breath is caused by several factors like the food you eat and some medical condition, it does not guarantee that brushing alone will prevent bad breath.

The unpleasant odor from your mouth is not entirely coming from your teeth. The greatest contributor of that bad breath is from your tongue. So no matter how often your tooth brushing is, as long as your tongue is dirty, you are still not guaranteed to have a fresh breath.

This is not to say that brushing does not help prevent bad breath. The truth is; it does. But brushing alone will not prevent bad breath. As was mentioned above, you still have to clean your tongue, floss regularly, visit the dentist, and be careful on the food you eat.

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What You Need to Know about Bad Breath

Bad breath or halitosis, most of the time starts from the mouth. This is caused by bacteria that break down food particles and produce by-products called VSCs (volatile sulphur compounds). This results to breathing a distinctive odor similar to a rotten egg or bad breath.

Factors that cause of bad breath (halitosis):

Poor dental hygiene is the major cause of bad breath. It results to tooth decay, gum problems such as gingivitis, and plaque. This also causes accumulation of bacteria particularly in between teeth and posterior tongue.

Certain types of food and drinks also affect the kind of breath we breathe. Foods such as cabbage, onion, and garlic are known to contain oil that runs to the bloodstream and makes us exhale bad odor. Coffee and soda are known to cause bad breath as well. All tobacco products can cause bad breath aside from other health danger they can cause.

Dryness of the mouth is another reason why people have bad breath. It is more often the reason to children since they have habits of sucking objects including blanket that quickly dries the mouth. For adult, dried mouth is often caused by poor saliva production and using mouthwash that contains too much alcohol.

Nasal, throat, and mouth infection cause halitosis as well. These include canker sores, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, strep throat, nasal discharge, and sinusitis. Nasal infection or colds can force someone to breathe through his mouth which quickly dries the mouth and cause bacteria to breed.

Internal organ failures can manifest themselves through bad breath. Thus halitosis can be a sign of serious health problem.

How bad breath is treated?

Since most of the time bad breath or halitosis starts from the mouth, it is treated through the mouth. Seeking for dentist's help is the best way to do it. The dentist can check if there are something wrong with the dentures and make the necessary treatment for it. A visit to the dentist can also shed idea as to what types of remedies are suited to a particular person with bad breath.

Self-help bad breath treatment.

Maintaining a good oral hygiene can prevent as well as treat bad breath. This includes tooth brushing for at least twice a day, using dental floss or other type of inter-dental brush at least once a day, and using oral antiseptic that do not cause dryness to the mouth. Cleaning the tongue with a tongue scraper is an effective way to remove the odor-causing bacteria off the mouth.

Drinking plenty of fluids can keep mouth moist which reduces the risk of bad breath. Eating regularly stimulates the mouth to produce saliva which moistens the mouth. Chewing sugarless gums can stimulate the production of saliva as well.

Since meat, fish and dairy products can cause bad breath, a good brushing after meal is important to remove food particles from your mouth.

Fibrous fruits and vegetables such as parsley, cucumber, apple, and carrots can help clean the teeth naturally.

Quit smoking and lessen the consumption of coffee and soda.

Clean orthodontic appliances, partial plates, and removable bridges can trap food particles that cause bad breath. Clean them once a day or as instructed by the dentist.

With the right information, bad breath or halitosis can easily be prevented.

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How to Prevent Bad Breath in Children

Bad breath often happens to adults. But children are not immune it, even at the very young age. So if you are a parent or taking care of a child, you must realize the things that you should do in order to prevent bad breath in children.

To begin with, let us discuss the causes of bad breath. This will enable us to determine the things your child should avoid and the things your child should do to prevent the occurrence of bad breath.

There are 4 major causes of bad breath in children: xerostomia, periodontal diseases, nasal infection, and poor oral hygiene.

1. Xerostomia (dry mouth). Dry mouth breeds bacteria. Bacteria break down sugar and protein to produce byproducts called VSCs or volatile sulphur compounds. VSCs cause bad breath. And dry mouth is caused by several things, usually, avoidable ones. Sinus infection, allergies and recurrent colds lead to post-nasal drip. This forces your child to use his mouth in breathing which will cause the mouth to dry easily. Another cause of xerostomia is blanket sucking. Child often does this as a habit. Any foreign object trapped in the nose of your child can prevent a free flow of air on the nostrils which makes breathing hard. This also forces your child to breathe to his mouth and will, in turn, dry his mouth.

2. Periodontal diseases. Bad breath is also associated with periodontal diseases such as tooth decay, gingivitis, and plaque. Often, cavities provide a venue for food particles to reside in the teeth that would further cause bad breath.

3. Nasal infection. This happens when a foreign object is stuck and infects in your child's nose. This creates discharge that is often odorous.

4. Poor oral hygiene practice. Children love to eat but hate to clean their teeth. This results to food particles being stuck in between their teeth. Sweets that contain sugar and dairy products that contain protein, which by the way are two of the most popular types of foods your child want to eat, are broken down by bacteria residing inside their mouth, which produce VSCs. Simply put, bad breath occurs when food particles remain inside your child's mouth.

To prevent bad breath from happening, there are 4 basic things you should do as a parent or guardian:

1. Teach your child the proper oral hygiene. The best way to do it is by brushing your teeth together. Also, allow your child to choose the toothbrush and toothpaste he wants to use. Just make sure that you guide him to the right type of bristle and toothbrush with fluoride.

2. Make visit to the doctor a regular habit. Children at their early age develop fear with dentist. To avoid it, introduce your child as early as 1 year old. Maintain a family dentist so that your child can build a trust to him. A good relationship between your child and his dentist will ensure that he maintains a good dental health.

3. Prevent bad habits that cause nasal infection and dry mouth. If you see you child sucking his blanket, tell him to stop. Or, if you see that he is sticking foreign objects in his nostrils, stop him.

4. Treat allergies, colds, and sinusitis immediately. If these things are prevented, then bad breath is less likely to happen.

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Let's Try to Eliminate Your Bad Breath

Our body is known to accustom itself with its own smell. This is inevitable since after all, your body and you have been one and the same for several years now. But, what if you have noticed lately that co-workers, friends and family members are trying to keep some distance from you whenever they can? Something must be wrong, right?

Once in awhile, no matter how clean and healthy our mouths can be, we could get into our personal struggles against unpleasant breath. These occur temporarily though. It might be due to some foods or beverages you have taken recently or certain medications for which the by products of decomposition are emanating through your mouth. But, what if yours is a chronic condition? What would you do?

For one, bad breathe would not have been there if you were careful enough to observe proper oral hygiene. Thus, the main culprit and the subsequent solution to bad breath is the failure to observe oral hygiene religiously and thus, the efficient solution roots from the maintenance of oral care.

Oral hygiene is basically the practice of keeping the mouth clean enough so as not to become a breeding ground for sulfur-producing bacteria. This hygiene includes both personal and oral health care.

Brushing is of course a regular (and most needed) part of oral hygiene. Combined with flossing, both could aid in the prevention of plaque build-up in between teeth. As we all have repeatedly heard before, prevention is better than cure. If you are able to do this, you would be saved from spending much on cavity drilling and teeth cleaning apart from the value of loosing your precious tissue due to damages.

In light of the above practices, there have been a number of new methods that are believed to supplement for or replace tooth brushing and flossing.

There are some special tools and appliances that could have the same effects as that of the toothbrushes and flosses. Water irrigation devices and specialized toothpicks are among the most popular. Electric toothbrushes have been welcomed in the market for some years. However, recently dentists are recommending electric toothbrushes exclusively for those who have problems with dexterity.

Cultures in many parts of the world have also learned to use and continue using naturally-occurring mouth cleaners. In the Muslim nations, the miswak is a popular tool from twigs and roots that are known to have antiseptic properties. The fibers are effective in releasing inserted plaques in the spaces between the teeth.

Apart from the traditional methods of eliminating bad breath, you could also integrate into your daily meals the chemical substances that could induce the strengthening of teeth and gums. Foods with high content of Vitamin D, B and C are some of the highly recommended ones. If you can make your gums and teeth stronger while maintaining a clean and healthy mouth, you are likely to get around from the possibilities of developing bad breath or halitosis. Thus, it is only vital that these are regularly practiced.

Why the emphasis on cleaning the teeth and the gums while there are other sources which claim that this practice would only aggravate bad breath?

First things first- whatever justifications these sources would tell you, it is still unreasonable that you would incur bad breath due to cleanliness. Second, cleaner mouths could harbor lesser bacteria.

Got the logic in there now, right?

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Chronic Bad Breath Explained

Chronic bad breath is a heath condition that is characterized by prolonged odorous breath. This is often caused by periodontal diseases. The onset of these diseases is triggered by the foods you eat, liquid you drink or anything you put in your mouth that can potentially cause bad breath like tobacco products. Bad breath also happens when you miss cleaning your teeth before you go to bed or simply, do not clean your teeth and tongue as you should.

Since bad breath causing bacteria often harbor on dirty mouth, people who put less care on their oral hygiene are often the carrier of this health condition. This concludes that one of the major reasons why people have chronic bad breath is because they have poor oral hygiene.

How does poor oral hygiene instigate the onset of bad breath?

Poor oral hygiene means that you are not cleaning your mouth the mouth as often as you should.

We emphasize on the word "mouth" since there is the common notion that bad breath starts from dirty teeth. As was mentioned, bad breath is caused by bacteria harboring in dry mouth. The distinct bad breath odor is caused by VSCs or volatile sulphur compounds. VSCs are produced when anaerobic bacteria breeding on the surface of the tongue, in between teeth, and the spaces of the tongue break down of sugar and protein that are actually

This is the reason why the whole mouth should be cleaned and not only the teeth.

Dentist require you to brushing your teeth at least 2 times a day, using dental floss or other type of inter-dental brush at least once a day, and an oral antiseptic with safe level of alcohol content. A regular visit to the dentist would also keep your dentures healthy.

Other reasons why people suffer from chronic bad breath are regular intake of food, drinks and products that either degrade the quality of air you breathe or help produce more bacteria inside your mouth.

One example is dairy product. At first there you can argue that dairy products are rich in protein. But this is where the problem starts. Bacteria in the mouth break down protein to produce VSCs. And the more protein in your mouth, the more VSCs created. It should be cleared though that you are not discouraged to eat or drink diary product but if you have chronic bad breath, try to lessen your intake or better yet, clean your mouth immediately after eating or drinking any dairy product.

Coffee is another liquid that can contribute to chronic bad breath. This is because coffee contains acid that reduce oxygenation of the mouth. This results to the increase of the production of bacteria.

Sugar-based products also provide bacteria to produce VSCs.

Several spices such as garlic and onion contain pungent oil that when digested, is mixed through the bloodstream and expelled by the lungs and through the mouth creating nasty-smelling breath.

Using alcohol-based mouthwash often bring bad result than good. Since alcohol causes the mouth to try, and bacteria thrives on try mouth, VSCs can easily breed and cause chronic bad breath.

Why is it important to know these things?

Effective solution to something begins of you know why it happens. In this case, knowing the causes of chronic bad breath makes it easier for you to deal with it.

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Bad Breath Cure Myths

Myth #1

Commercial mouthwashes effectively cure bad breath.

A typical commercial mouthwash contains alcohol which can actually contribute to the formation of more venues for bacteria to breed and cause bad breath. This is because alcohol causes the mouth to dry, and bacteria breeds quickly on dry mouth; becoming more powerful to produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that produce bad breath.

However, newer mouthwashes are effective in curing bad breath since they contain chlorine dioxide that attacks VSCs.

To be sure, use mouthwash that is prescribed by your dentist.

Myth #2

You can tell if you have bad breath by licking your hand as smelling it or by breathing with your hands cupped between your mouth and nose.

First, if you lick your hand, the only portion of the tongue that will be used is the anterior portion. Since bacteria that cause bad breath reside at the back of the tongue, you can still not tell if you have bad breath or not.

Second, the air you breathe is not similar with the air you release when you talk. This is because bad breath causing bacteria originate from the posterior part of the tongue and only pushed forward once you speak. Thus you can never tell if you have bad breath or not only by smelling your own breath.

Now, how can you tell if you have bad breath or not? The simplest way is by asking a 5-year old child. They never lie.

Or, you can use a halimeter. This is a device that tells you the amount of VSCs present in your mouth.

Myth #3

Bad breath comes from the stomach

Many undergo intestinal cleansing method since they believe that bad breath can be cured here since it originates in the stomach. Although in some cases it is true, still, more than 90% of bad breath cases come in the mouth particularly at the back of the tongue and in spaces between the teeth. So, it is important to clearly know the origin of bad breath before making an action.

Myth #4

Good dental hygiene effectively cures bad breath

Tooth brushing and dental floss can indeed cure bad breath. But since many believe that by doing such things, they can be free from bad breath, the meaning of "good oral hygiene" is misinterpreted.

It is not enough to brush your teeth. And there is a proper way to do it. Same thing goes with using dental floss.

For most, 30 seconds is enough to brush their teeth. This is definitely not enough since each tooth requires full attention to make sure that they are clean and free from food particles. Thus, it is often recommended to brush your teeth 2 times a day for at least 3 minutes.

Some may also brush and floss their teeth properly and still unable to eliminate bad breath. This is because most bad breath causing bacteria reside on the tongue needs, thus it must be cleaned as well.

Myth #5

Changing your diet can cure bad breath

Avoiding foods that contain sulfur such as cabbage and onions can help stop temporary bad breath. But entirely changing your diet is not the solution since it was mentioned that over 90% of bad breath cases begin in the mouth.

The effective way to cure bad breath is by eliminating the bacteria that cause it. And doing this requires the combination of the right process to prevent bad breath.

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How to Stop Bad Breath Now

The success of bad breath treatment products does not rely on the price tag printed over them. It relies on how well you know about your condition and how faithful you are in doing the right thing to kill it. Stopping bad breath relies on 2 things: first, finding the cause of your condition; and second, treating it the right way

1. Finding the cause of your condition.

Bad breath could only be stopped if you know where to start. And knowing where to start relies on knowing the cause of bad breath.

Bad breath is usually caused by poor oral hygiene. This means that you do not clean your teeth and your mouth the way you should or you are not treating your teeth and mouth the way they should be treated.

Poor oral hygiene can result to the increase of anaerobic bacteria that break down sugar and protein from the food particles left inside your mouth, particularly in between your teeth and at the back of your mouth. This would then result to the production of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs), which would then be the cause of bad breath. If you do not brush your teeth as you should, if you do not clean your tongue, and if you do not floss, then it is possible that your bad breath is the result of poor oral hygiene.

Oral, nasal or throat condition can cause bad breath even if you are practicing good oral hygiene. Such conditions include canker sores, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, strep throat, nasal discharge, and sinus infection.

Certain diseases can cause bad breath as well. Such disease include kidney failure, lung liver failure, lung infection, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia,

Smoking tobacco products, eating certain foods such as onion and garlic, drinking soda and coffee, and using mouthwash with too much alcohol content can cause bad breath as well.

2. Treating it the right way.

Stopping bad breath that is caused by poor oral hygiene is easy. Brush your teeth every meal, use dental floss at least once a day, use oral antiseptic that does not dry your mouth, and have your dentures checked by your dentist. These things will ensure that your teeth stay healthy, clean, and properly maintained to stop bad breath.

If your bad breath is caused by certain oral, nasal or throat condition, then have it cured immediately. Usually, once any of these conditions are treated, the bad breath goes with it.

Kidney failure, lung liver failure, lung infection, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia are major diseases that may not come away in days, or worse, would require a series of medical treatments. If you have any of these and you have a bad breath, ask your doctor the right thing to do to stop bad breath.

What you put to your mouth decides the smell of your breath. So if you want to stop bad breath, then avoid particular foods and drinks. Quit smoking, stop drinking coffee and soda, and avoid foods that can cause you that foul smell such as cabbage, onion, and garlic. Switch to tea. Eat fruits and vegetables that contain natural fiber.

Also, you can make your own toothpaste and mouthwash. A mixture of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part salt is an effective alternative for toothpaste. An aloe vera juice mixed with water is an effect mouthwash.

Finally, make sure that you maintain an "anti-bad breath" habit to stop bad breath once and for all.

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Symptoms of Bad Breath and A Quick Test for Self Diagnosis

Have you ever been hunted by the feeling that you have bad breath but can't confirm if you truly have one? That’s just normal. Remember that our body gets accustomed to its own smell that even the attempt of smelling your breath through your cupped hands would do you no good.

Is there a way to know if you have bad breath then? Of course there is. Most dentists have the device called the halimeter which by principle, measures the amount of sulfur level in your mouth. Why measure the sulfur compound in your mouth? Simple. Because practically, most people with halitosis have their rooted problems on the over production of volatile sulfur compounds in the mouth. If left uncontrolled, these compounds would cause the foul odor to emanate.

Volatile sulfur compounds are the by product of the workings done by the anaerobic bacteria which are helpful in the disintegration process occurring in the food and the decomposition of dead tissues in the mouth. Without the bacteria, this debris would cause infections in the mouth. Thus, the bacteria are important in the mouth's general maintenance. However, these are the very bacteria that create the bad odor.

Thus, the major symptom and one that creates the distinction between a healthy mouth from what is not is the unpleasant odor that it creates. Apart from the anaerobic bacteria thriving in the mouth, you could also find other culprits such as those with non-oral origin. Some good examples are acidity due to certain medical conditions and certain chemical reactions of the body towards medications. Some of the medical conditions, on the other hand, are liver cirrhosis, green discharges and stored mucus in at the back of the throat and tongue and in the nose and kidney problems.

Another good symptom to use as a basis for self diagnosis of bad breath is the observance of yellow film covering the surface of the tongue. As you might have already p[resumed, a healthy and clean tongue is marked with the absence of this materials and can observably show pinkish to reddish surface. This residue from the accumulation of food materials could be good breeding places for certain bacteria that would further aggravate the condition of bad breath.

Dry mouth is also a symptom that you must watch out. This is basically due to mouth breathing and certain medical conditions. It could be resolved by practicing nasal breathing, both during unconscious and conscious states.

With foul odor in the breath, the mouth could also be marked with sour, bitter or metallic tastes. This is especially true when you have just finished eating ingredients that have odor-producing properties such as garlic, onion, tea and coffee.

With the adaptation of the body with its own smells though, it can still recognize what is bad odor from that of the pleasant. Without making the trips with your dentist, you can try the following test to see if you have symptoms of bad breath.

One of the common exercises is through licking your tongue into your clean wrist. Smell the trace of smell after 45 seconds. If you have noticed bad smell then it might be due to bad breath. But, remember that this would not be able to test if the problem originates from the back of the tongue.

Dental flosses could also be used in testing if you have the symptoms of bad breath. Check your used floss for discoloration and sniff the used part after 45 minutes. If you notice an objectionable odor, it could be that you have bad mouth odor.

Next - hold the tip of your tongue with a clean washcloth, while rubbing the back portion of your tongue with another white washcloth. Wait 45 seconds and then smell the portion of the cloth that you used on the back of your tongue (dorsum). Does it smell?

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So, What Are Your Choices of Herbs for Bad Breath?

Lots of practices have been produced to combat one of the many health plagues of mankind- bad breath. This is obvious with the plethora of products, tools, devices and offers for therapy and treatment that could face you in your search for one effective treatment.

If you are wondering if those weird-looking devices you have encountered lately are included in the list, well there's one definite answer to that- yes! However, many of us still live and trust the art and antiques caught from the middle ages or the Stone Age for that matter. Well, these people have good reasons for that.

Obviously, a number of modern devices don’t truly pave the way for curing the condition. They just offer temporary and often, ineffective solutions. Secondly, nature is the best resource for the most effective treatments for bad breath and other health conditions. After all, everything created was good. The fact that the Creator was pleased with his art must show us that His products are second to none. And so, we now give you some of your options for treating bad breath using herbs.

Cardamom (scientific name- Elettaria cardamomum) contains large amount of cineole compound that is efficient in killing the bacteria that causes bad breath. Apart from being an Arabian aphrodisiac, cardamom could also cover the smell with its own aroma. When using this herb you can try chewing the fruit itself or combine the herb with liqueurs and teas.

Parsley as well as other herbs rich in chlorophyll can act as good breath fresheners.

Who would have overlooked eucalyptus when talking about herbs for bad breath? Eucalyptus globules is contained in most commercial mouthwashes and toothpastes which only supports the idea that this is a good herb for bad breath. This contains eucalyptol that has the capacity to kill the sulfur-producing bacteria thriving inside the mouth.

Coriander is known to be an ingredient for food. However due to its potency for temporarily erasing the traces of bad smell in the mouth, it is also used as mouthwash when boiled with water.

Anise or pimpinella anisum is a licorice-flavored type of seed that could help freshen one's breath. While it may be used as a concoction, some oriental foods also contain anise to intensify the aromatic flavors.

One word of caution for peppermint- it can be poisonous when ingested. This is the main reason why peppermint tea is only used as mouthwash. Additionally, this herb has antiseptic properties.

Dill and papaya could both help bring you fresher breath. These herbs work by clearing the smell of bad breath from the mouth. Dill seeds must be chewed and spitted afterwards while papaya fruit could be eaten raw.

If thyme appeals to you, you can also try using wild bergamot as part of your bad breath treatment. It can be eaten by itself or in form of concoction. Due to its potency to release bad breath most commercial mouthwashes contain wild bergamot as its active ingredient.

Clove ran down in history as the herb that must be chewed by Asians before they could appear before their kings. This herb also has potent antibacterial properties that kill the volatile sulfur compound-producing bacteria in the mouth.

These are just some of the traditionally used herbs in curing bad breath. Others include spirulina which is a good source of alcohol, tea tree oil that has disinfectant properties and fenugreek which can cause the stomach to emit sweeter smells.

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What Could be the Bad Breath Natural Remedy for You

So you feel like your breath smells other than sweet? And you think this hampers you from being confident with your social affairs?

Well, first things first- check if you truly have bad breath. This is vital since many of us are unaware that our breath is becoming awful. This is basically because our body tends to become accustomed to its natural odors that it could ignore the background smells, such as bad breath.

So how would you check if you have bad breath? If you want a more comprehensive form of examination, you can of course pay a visit to your local dentist and see if your doubts can be confirmed. Yet, you also have the choice of not seeking professional advance.

For one, you may try scraping the white or yellow film covering the surface of your tongue. You may use a spoon for this. Make sure that you penetrate the entire covered surface. The accumulation you have collected shall be checked 30 seconds after. If the film creates a smell similar with that of the rotten egg, this will only confirm that you truly have bad breath.

Another method you can use is by checking the material that comes with the dental floss. If the material produces a brownish color, you are almost sure of having bad breath yet if the color is not too obvious, you can try smelling the gathering after quite a few seconds.

So much for the alternative methods of checking for bad breath, we now move on to some of the natural remedies that you could use in curing this condition.

First step to doing this is to identify the true cause of the smell. From there, you could formulate various remedies that are adapted to your needs.

One of the most common natural remedy for bad breath is the use of smells that could cover the bad smell. While the effect is normally temporary and can't truly act as a cure, they are still worth trying for.

Herbs are the typical ingredients of mouthwashes, gums and other products used in clearing the mouth off the smell. It is not only because of the natural smell herbs posses but also because of the anti-bacterial properties they posses.

It may be due particularly to the addition of eucalyptol and thymol in commercial products. Both are volatile oils that are capable of inhibiting the growth of the active anaerobic bacteria that produce the smell due to the sulfur compounds they manufacture. In line with this, other volatile oils are incorporated into dental products nowadays to create similar effects. Among these are the myrrh, tea tree oil, caraway, clove, bloodroot and sage.

If, however, you are more of the health conscious person you could try to intensify your vitamin intake. Since bad breath roots from bacterial production in the mouth, you should focus on vitamins that could hamper the production of these microorganisms. Zinc for one can decrease the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds in the mouth.

There, now you can follow those simple steps, both the self-diagnosis steps and the natural remedy tips for bad breath treatment.

So the next time you talk closely with a friend, a coworker or anyone from the society, you would no longer have to worry about the emanating smell from your mouth.

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A Look on the Reasons for Bad Breath

Contrary to what we were oriented to when we were younger, bad breath has various causes that could be truly disturbing. We are not making big issues here regarding the "supposed" integral components of growing up.

We all have shed our first teeth and each went their own way in distinct processes. Some were removed professionally; others were let to decay on their own. The latter normally caused us more trouble than if we chose, in the first place, to pay a visit to our dentist and have our precious teeth checked.

One of the many troubles that most of us have encountered particularly during our childhood is bad breath. It’s a sad thing though that still, many adults are under the process of purgation towards their way for heavenly smelling breath.

It's worth repeating that the major cause of bad breath is the decay of a teeth or unfortunately, the host of them. These play as good breeding grounds along with the spaces between them, for the anaerobic bacteria that produce VSCs.

VSCs are volatile sulfuric compounds that are agents in creating tinges of foul odor in our mouth. If left unrestrained, the growth would turn into a massive, colossal wall between having healthy breath from that which is not.

Apart from some medical conditions that do not directly affect the mouth such diabetes and liver problems, the main reason for bad breath usually is the widespread growth of such bacteria.

Another main reason (or probably a cause too) is the accumulation of yellow or whitish film on the surface of the tongue. This is caused by the mouth debris that sticks into unclean or unbrushed tongue.

This accumulation normally builds up in the posterior region of the tongue. Elimination of this film though would not warrant the removal of bad breath but would help relive some of the symptoms.

Drying of the mouth is also pointed out regularly s the main reason for bad breath. Anaerobic bacteria, by their nature, can have optimized survival when they are in environments with lesser oxygen level. Thus, when the mouth dries due to mouth breathing and several medical conditions that brings about the same effects, they are likely to multiply and spread more. This would likely end up with higher release of volatile sulfur compounds that, as we have already mentioned, are agents for releasing foul odor through the process of disintegrating chemical compounds and mouth debris.

Additionally, once the mouth area is deprived of the necessary circulation of oxygen, the pH level is likely to be altered, thus creating an effect of producing an environment that is conducive for the increase of anaerobic bacteria.

Even with hosts of products that offer effective means for combating xerostomia or mouth drying, there is still too few that live up to their claims. Too few are effective enough to ensure a patient from eliminating the dryness of the mouth.

There are other reasons for bard breath aside from what we have already stated above. Some include those with non-oral origins and others are related with psychological disorders.

Halitophobia, an interesting condition is marked by the presence of compulsive ideas that constantly plague the thoughts of a person, for whether he truly has bad breath or not. In fact, this imagined condition is graver than normal bad breath since patients of this disorder are likely to contemplate on suicides. On its onset though, halitophobics would try to isolate themselves from the public for the fear of ridicule due to bad breath.

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Quick and Easy Remedies for People with Bad Breath

You have probably heard about sore throat remedy or perhaps canker sore remedy. But what bad breath remedy? Is there such a thing? Of course it has and there is lots of it. Here are those:

Homemade Mouthwash.

Hydrogen peroxide and water. Mixing 1 part of water with 1 part hydrogen peroxide (3%) makes an effective bad breath remedy. This cleanses the mouth and kills the bacteria that cause bad odor. There is another way to use hydrogen peroxide as bad breath remedy particularly if sinus infection is the reason for foul odor. 5 to 10 drops of the same mixture can be dropped to each nostril. Expect a little burning, it is normal. Do this 2 times a day until the infection is gone.

Baking soda and water. A pinch of baking soda mixed with water is another effective and inexpensive way to treat bad breath.

Aloe vera and water. Extract aloe vera juice and mix it with water. The right proportion would be 1 tablespoon of aloe vera juice is to 12 ounces of water.

Water and salt. The good old water and salt solution is another effective bad breath remedy. Surprisingly, lukewarm water will do the job as well.

Homemade Toothpaste.

Baking soda and salt. 3 parts baking soda mixed with 1 part salt make a good toothpaste. Baking soda is effective in reducing the acidity of the mouth, which in turn reduces the breeding of anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath. Place the mixture on your toothbrush and brush your teeth like you normally do.

Herbal

Parsley, rosemary, basil, wintergreen, mint and thyme; chewing these herbal plants are affective in alleviating bad breath.

Fibers. Carrots, cucumber, and apple are fiber-rich foods that clean and floss your teeth naturally, not to mention the vitamins and minerals they contain.

Cinnamon and Myrrh. During the day, suck a piece of cinnamon bark. Before going to bed, dissolve a pea-sized piece of myrrh in your mouth.

Lemon. It removes garlic or onion breath. Suck a wedge of lemon with a pinch of salt.

Cloves. Cloves contain natural antiseptic that is effective in treating bad breath. There are 2 ways to use it. Chewing whole cloves is one. The other is making a tea from it. To do this, put 3 whole cloves in every 2 cups of hot water. Let is set for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use the tea as a mouthwash.

Tea. Another bad breath remedy is by making tea out of the following ingredients: boiling water (1 pint), cloves (3 whole), Parsley (2 springs, coarsely chopped), and powdered goldenseal (1/4 tsp.). Place the cloves, parsley and powdered goldenseal on boiling water. Stir it occasionally. Let it cool. Use it twice a day as mouthwash.

You can also make a tea from the dried leaves of alfafa. Boil it on water to make a natural tea. This mineral-rich and chlorophyll-rich tea is effective in treating bad breath. Use it as mouthwash.

Oral bad breath remedy.

Chlorophyll Tablets. They could cost between $2 and $10 per 100 tablets depending on the brand. Chlorophyll tablets work by deodorizing your mouth thus freshen your breath. They are available in drugstores. Alfafa supplements that come in tablet are also effective as bad breath remedy.

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The Common Causes Bad Breath

The causes of bad breath or halitosis range from improper oral practice to severe medical condition. Details are discussed below.

Improper/poor oral hygiene and dental problems – Dental problems are the result of improper or poor oral hygiene. When a person does not brush his teeth and tongue as often as he should, floss at least once a day, and use an oral antiseptic, food particles that remain in the mouth and in between teeth will emit hydrogen sulfur vapors and bacteria. Hydrogen sulfur vapors produce a rotten-egg like odor which causes bad breath. Bacteria (plaque) also form on the teeth and cause tooth decay and gingivitis. The unclean dentures will harbor unwanted food particles and bacteria that causes odor.

The food we eat – There are certain types of food that cause bad breath. Some of the most popular are garlic, onion, and cabbage. Several other types of spices and certain vegetables also can cause bad breath. It happens when these types of food are digested and the oil they contain enters in the body's bloodstream. It goes throughout the body including the lungs. When the person exhales, the pungent oil is released to the mouth which is the reason for bad breath. The odor expires when the oil is completely emitted out of the body.

Dry mouth – "Morning breath" is natural to many. This is because during sleep, the salivary glands stop producing saliva which makes the mouth "dry". (Saliva moistens and cleanses the mouth.) Dry mouth invites bacteria to breed on the dead cells around the mouth particularly on the areas of the cheeks, gums, and tongue; this produces that familiar bad breath in the morning. Morning breath is even worse to people who sleep with their mouth open since the air can dry up the mouth easily.

Smoking and other medications can cause problems to salivary glands which can lead to chronic dry mouth.

Tobacco products – Aside from the effect to salivary glands, smoking tobacco products itself can cause bad breath. And since tobacco can cause periodontal disease, bad breath is more likely to smokers than the non-smokers.

Disease – GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia can cause bad breath. Diabetes can produce bad odor. Several other illnesses can cause bad breath. These include liver failure which can cause a distinctive fishy odor, kidney failure which can give off odor that is urine-like, and chronic lung infection which also produces a bad-smelling breath.

Throat, nasal, and mouth conditions can also cause bad breath. Canker sores, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, strep throat, nasal discharge, and sinus infection are all associated to bad breath.

Skipping meals and severe dieting or fasting – Since chewing stimulates the production of saliva, eating helps the mouth to be cleansed normally. When a person skips meal, the salivary glands cease to work, thus, the increase in bacteria which cause bad breath. When a person does is dieting, he produces a chemical known as keto acids. High concentration of keto acids is called ketoacidosis. This has a distinctive fruity odor which is as well considered as bad odor.

Knowing these causes will lead to the prevention of bad breath. Take note that most of these causes can be prevented by practicing a good oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle. Bad breath is a condition that is common to millions of Americans. But it does not have to be present to you as well.

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