Bad breath causes severe social embarrassment and may be indicative of several underlying lifestyle, medical or dental conditions. Bad breath or halitosis is a condition where the air exhaled from a person’s mouth carries an unpleasant odor. While most people suffer from bad breath occasionally, some cases of halitosis may be chronic. Halitosis may have varied underlying causes including:
- Eating certain foods
- Smoking
- Dry mouth
- Gum disease
- Sinus conditions
- Respiratory tract infections
- Cavities
- Yeast infections in the mouth
- Dental appliances that do not fit properly
- Diabetes
- Liver or kidney failure
- Certain types of cancer
Bad Breath Causes – Poor Oral Hygiene
Since 90% of bad breath comes from the oral cavity, the most common cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene. Insufficient cleansing of the teeth, tongue and oral cavity results in conditions that allow anaerobic bacteria to break down food particles, dead cells, and saliva. A process known as proteolysis breaks down proteins into substances that give rise to Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC) which are the bad odors.
Dental Conditions
Several dental and oral conditions can also cause bad breath such as Gingivitis, or gum inflammation, infections of the mucous membranes of the mouth, oral thrush, cleft palate and mouth ulcers.
Lifestyle and Dietary Conditions
The optimum amount of saliva plays an important role in regulating bad breath. Breathing through the mouth alone or any condition that dries out the oral cavity can cause bad breath. This is why a person may have bad breath immediately after waking up. The following lifestyle and dietary conditions are common bad breath causes:
- Smoking – The drying out of the oral cavity and bacterial action on recurrent deposits of nicotine and tar causes bad breath.
- Meat – Protein-rich meats, especially red meat particles produce a particularly offensive odor if not removed from the mouth.
- Onions and Garlic – These vegetables have natural Sulphur-based compounds such as amino acid sulphoxides that release VSCs when chewed, causing malodorous gases to be formed.
- Age – As the body ages, the inner lining of the mouth loses its moisture and causes bad breath. General geriatric health issues may also contribute to bad breath.
- Prescription Drugs – The prolonged use of certain antibiotics and vitamins may also cause halitosis.
It is possible to control many of these lifestyle and dietary conditions and avoid the stigma that bad breath causes.
Medical Conditions
Sinusitis aggravated by the influenza (‘flu’) is the most common cause of bad breath. This occurs due to the drying of the mouth and the breakdown of post-nasal drip. In women, hormonal changes caused by the menstrual cycle can also cause halitosis. Conditions that affect the alimentary canal such as gastroenteritis, liver and kidney failure, diabetes, tuberculosis, bronchitis and even cancer are among the leading medical causes of bad breath.
Understanding the Problem Bad Breath Causes
Bad breath occurs in most people and may be remedied by good dental hygiene and healthy lifestyle choices. In a few cases where medical and dental conditions influence halitosis, the diagnosis of a dental health professional can serve to mitigate the discomfort and embarrassment that bad breath causes.
