Halitosis is caused by sulphur-producing bacteria in the tongue and throat. The major causes include a dry mouth caused by certain foods, smoking, poor oral hygiene and a coated tongue. The treatment of halitosis will depend on the underlying cause.
Gum disease can cause gums to pull away from your teeth, leaving deep pockets that fill with odor-causing bacteria. Sometimes only professional cleaning removes these bacteria. Your dentist might also recommend replacing faulty tooth restorations, a breeding ground for bacteria.
Mouth infections can cause bad breath. However, if your dentist has ruled out other causes and you brush and floss every day, your bad breath could be the result of another problem, such as a sinus condition, gastric reflux, diabetes, liver or kidney disease. In this case, see your healthcare provider.
Halitosis — or bad breath — may be due to poor oral hygiene, but this isn't always the case. It can also occur due to a number of health conditions, including dry mouth, heartburn or even disease in another part of your body. Treatment for halitosis depends on the underlying cause.
Almost everyone experiences bad breath once in a while. But for some people, bad breath is a daily problem, and they struggle to find a solution. Approximately 30% of the population complains of some sort of bad breath.
The rotten egg smell comes from the breakdown of microbes that live in your digestive system. It may be as simple as addressing acid reflux with an over the counter antacid or with a stronger medication if it is more persistent.
Everyone also should be aware of other new symptoms, in addition to bad breath, that are possible signs of oral, oropharyngeal (throat) or laryngeal cancer.
The bacteria that cause bad breath can hide in cavities in your teeth. This makes it difficult to get rid of the bacteria when you're brushing your teeth because it's hidden in places that you can't reach. Similarly, these bacteria can hide in deep pockets caused by gum disease.
Gingivitis can cause your breath to smell like sulfur or rotten eggs. This is because of the bacteria in your mouth releasing chemicals that smells like these things. If you have gingivitis, you may also notice that your gingiva, or gums, are red and swollen. You may also bleed when you brush or floss your teeth.
The damaging bacteria causing Periodontitis are called anaerobes; they have a distinct odor known in the dental industry as “perio breath.” Quite frankly, it smells like death because it sets up a chronic disease in which vital bone starts to die off.
Chewing sugarless gum or eating hard fruit like an apple helps to stimulate saliva and eliminate bad breath, but there's nothing better for your breath than drinking water as regularly as possible!
Postnasal drip, respiratory and tonsil infections, sinus problems, diabetes, liver and kidney issues, as well as certain blood disorders can all cause bad breath. In some rarer cases, bad breath could be a sign of cancer or other serious conditions like metabolic disorders.
If it either bleeds or smells then you have gum disease and should get treatment. A quick scale and polish by a dentist will not eliminate gum disease. Patients with a history of this type treatment are often surprised to find that they have gum disease that requires several hours of treatment by a dental hygienist.
Halitosis (bad breath) is mostly caused by sulphur-producing bacteria that normally live on the surface of the tongue and in the throat. Sometimes, these bacteria start to break down proteins at a very high rate and odorous volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) are released from the back of the tongue and throat.
At certain times when we feel anxious, our mouth becomes dry. This is due to the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Together, these hormones can change the production of the bacteria VSC, making your breath smell bad.
However, many people may be too embarrassed to ask a loved one if the problem needs to be addressed. Another possible reason is our natural inability to actually smell our own breath, caused by an opening in the back of the mouth behind the soft palate, called the pharynx, which connects it to the nose.
Your digestive tract may be the cause of your foul breath if you frequently get heartburn or reflux after eating particular meals, such as dairy and spicy cuisine. These acids may smell sour, which causes gaseous odors to impact your breath.
The research published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene has shown that drinking or rinsing the mouth with a glass of water helped remove up to 60 per cent of the substances which contribute to bad breath1.
Unfortunately, the stench of your tasty meal hitchhikes along for the ride, eventually arriving at your lungs, where it pollutes your breath. Since the odor lies in the lungs, the quick fixes for treating bad breath—brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash—are only temporary solutions.
It is often hard for a person to tell if they have halitosis. And undetected, bad breath can lead to many awkward social situations. So, for that person who just had a tuna sandwich and is feeling uneasy or for the person with a constant bad taste in their mouth, stick around.