Bad Breath: Causes, Treatment And Control

Have you wondered why your friends give you a personal space that you don't really ask for. People don't come close to you and when you make an attempt to socialize with them by making just a comment, they will all leave without telling you that your mouth stinks.


For you to socialize normally you have to get rid of your bad breath and i believe this will help you do just that. First of all, what is bad breath?
Bad breath or Halitosis simply means mouth odor caused by odor-producing bacteria that normally live on the surface of your tongue, in your throat or between your teeth. Bad breath is usually experienced when you don't brush and floss your teeth regularly because the food particles that accumulate between your teeth are acted upon by bacteria to release sulphur compounds. These sulphur compounds in form of air comes out when you talk or breathe through your mouth.

Although bad breath is caused by bacteria, it can also be an indication of a health condition or systemic disease. For example, bad breath with sweet and fruity smell maybe due to diabetes, those with ammonia or urine smell maybe due to kidney failure and those with rotten egg smell maybe due to liver cirrhosis.

On the other hand, bad breath may also be due to gum disease or dry mouth (xerostomia). Gum disease causes bloody gum which creates more elements for bacteria to act on while dry mouth gives room for bacteria to settle down and multiply because saliva helps flush out the mouth, preventing bacteria from settling down.

Some of the foods you eat can cause bad breath if they contain plant oils that are absorbed into the bloodstream and are carried to the lungs from where you breath them out. Example of such foods includes; onions, garlic, coffee, spices etc.

Causes of Bad Breath

Apart from bacteria being the major cause of bad breath, there are other conditions or lifestyle that can cause bad breath or encourage mouth bacteria to produce sulphur compounds. Such conditions or lifestyles includes the following.

Poor Oral Hygiene: This is the most common cause of bad breath because it encourages the growth of bacteria and logging of food particles between the teeth. Regular teeth brushing and flossing helps to eliminate the food particles and minimize the activities of bacteria.

Food and Drinks: People that takes flavoured foods (eg. garlic, onions and spices) and strong smelling drinks (eg. coffee and alcohol) usually develop temporary bad breath.


Smoking: Apart from causing bad breath, smoking starves the mouth of oxygen and reduces the amount of saliva in the mouth which results to staining, loss of taste, gum irritation and increases your risk of developing gum disease.

Fasting: When you fast or eat low carbohydrate diets, your body breaks down fats to produce energy. Fat breakdown releases a chemical known as ketone which has a stinking smell.

Medications: End products of some medications can cause bad breath. Such medications includes; Nitrates drugs, Phenothiazine and some chemotherapy medications. If bad breath is caused by the medication you're taking, visit your doctor for alternative recommendation.

Medical Conditions: Bad breath can also be a symptom of health conditions such as dry mouth, bronchitis, sinusitis, gastritis, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, kidney failure and lungs, throat or nose infections. Dry mouth is caused when your salivary gland is infected or when you breathe through your mouth instead of your nose.

Healthy Tips

There is no one treatment for bad breath. However, the treatment will depend on what is causing it and the major treatment is to improve your dental hygiene. The following tips will be of help if you have bad breath.

1. Brush your teeth regularly after eating and use a separate toothbrush or a tongue scraper to lightly brush your tongue.
2. Use dental floss to clean between your teeth and remove trapped food particles that cause tooth decay.
3. Avoid brushing your teeth for 30minutes after drinking an acidic drinks (like fruit juice) or acidic fruits (like orange) to help prevent tooth erosion.
4. Replace your toothbrush every three to four months.
5. Drink plenty of water to help prevent your mouth from drying up.
6. Chew sugar-free gum after eating to stimulate saliva flow.
7. Stop smoking, cut down on coffee and alcohol intake.
8. Cut down on sugary foods and drinks because they increase the amount of bacteria in your mouth.
9. Always breathe through your nose and avoid breathing through your mouth to prevent your mouth from drying up.
10. Eat healthy balanced diet and avoid strongly flavored or spicy foods.
11. Breathe into your hand and smell it with your nose to know if you have bad breath.
12. Visit your dentist for regular check-ups if bad breath persist.
13. Stay healthy.