Reasons and Causes of Bad Breath

Continued bad breath or even a bad taste in the mouth may be a warning sign of gum (periodontal) disease. Learn here about bad breath (halitosis) reaons, causes and solutions.

Bad breath (or halitosis) is an unpleasant condition for everyone (both the sufferers & people that live or work with them). It can be embarrassing, cause anxiety and even be an indicator of other more serious health or dental issues. For most people the simplest and most effective approach to getting rid of off-putting breath is a regular brushing of teeth, however, did you know that sometimes brushing alone may not resolve it?

Sometimes it takes more than floss, a toothbrush, and mouthwash.Oral experts have long been examining the causes of bad breath and have discovered some surprising reasons that you may not have expected.

1.The Importance of Breakfast
For many, skipping breakfast is a solution to squeezing more into the day. But by not eating breakfast in the morning, you may be increasing your likelihood of bad breath. When you miss your morning meal,  your saliva glands aren’t activated through chewing,  resulting in a dry out your mouth, without the cleaning action of saliva  causing this unpleasant condition. Even if  brushing and gargling before leaving home, your breath will not be as fresh as it would’ve if you had eaten breakfast.

2. Early Morning Coffee
Although many coffee drinkers would rather not quit their daily caffeine fix, the beverage is a surefire stainer of teeth and forerunner to the dreaded “coffee breath”. Coffee will dry out your mouthnd the more you drink, the worse the problem will be.

It’s advised to reduce down to one or two daily cups, and combine your coffee with regular glasses of water to rehydrate  your system and keep your mouth from becoming dry.

3. Banishing Bad Bacteria
Your mouth contains a wide range of beneficial and detrimental bacteria. The bad bacteria often live on the tongue, making it important that you brush or scrape your tongue each time your brush your teeth ( ideally 2-3 times daily).

4. Surprisingly, Gum is One of the Causes
Although regular gum is considered a solution for freshening your breath, research indicates that only if the gum is sweetened with Xylitol, does it inhibit bacterial growth that causes cavities and unpleasant breath. Learn more about gum and halitosis research here or here

5. Forgetting to Floss
Prevent gum disease. Remove food and plaque from between your teeth with floss, toothpaste, and mouthwash. But ensure you always use floss to clean between your teeth to prevent pockets of trapped,  decomposing food particles from causing further problems. Here’s where you can find out more about flossing

6. Mouth Breathing
Do you have a habit of breathing through your mouth? When instead of breathing through your nose , you breathe through your mouth, you'll inhale cold, dry air resulting in an excessively dry mouth. If your mouth is open for long periods of time, it dries out, preventing saliva from washing away bacteria.
Mouth breathing also causes sleep difficulties, with sufferers waking in the night when they aren’t receiving enough oxygen. Any condition that dries the tissues of the mouth, preventing saliva from washing away bacteria, encourages bad breath. Saliva moistens the mouth, neutralize acids (produced by plaque), and washes away dead cells that accumulate on your tongue, gums, and cheeks.

7. Eating Excessive Protein or Dairy
Foods high in dairy or protein are high in necessary amino acids. However increased protein consumption can also increase the likelihood of increased bacterial growth in the mouth. These bacteria produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that lead to bad breath. Diets low in carbohydrates burn stored fat, releasing toxic-smelling ketones - so if you’re on either a Paleo or Atkins diet, the only way to prevent this is to change what you are eating.

8. Medication And Daily Drugs
Many daily drugs (including antidepressants, diuretics, or even aspirin), can dry out the mouth. With a dry mouth, you’ll have reduced saliva levels to rinse away bacteria and (sometimes the drugs). To counter this side effect of medication, chew  Xylitol gum and drinking lots of water. Keeping a water bottle with you will not only keep you refreshed and hydrated you’ll be naturally eradicating any possible problems.

9. Happy Hour Drinks
Although a daily glass of (red wine) has been shown to be beneficial to health and wellbeing, too much alcohol can be a problem. Alcohol has a negative affect on saliva glands and will cause a dry mouth. So in smaller quantities you‘ll be fine, but excess = BAD BREATH. It’s a great reminder for moderation.

10. Dental Checkups
Visit your dentist regularly -- at least twice a year. We can examine your teeth and gums, our hygientist provides professional scale and polish , and will be able to detect and treat periodontal disease, dry mouth, or other problems that may be the cause of bad breath. With regular checkups  and cleaning, it’s most cost effective way of caring for your teeth and gums.

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