Bad Breath – Causes and Cures

Halitosis. The Listerine Company coined this name in 1921 to sell more mouthwash.  The scientific term is oral malodor, but we all know the condition as” Bad Breath”. We have all been exposed to its unpleasant symptoms any time we are in large groups of people or in the presence of one of the unfortunate many who suffer from this condition.

It is estimated that bad breath is the third most common reason for seeking dental aid.  In most cases, bad breath originates in the mouth itself.  The more benign form of the condition, termed “transient” mouth odor comprises 85-90 percent of the cases and is a function of oral dryness, eating certain foods (onions, garlic, meat, fish, or cheeses), obesity, smoking and/or alcohol consumption.  Because the mouth is dry and inactive during the night, the odor is often worse upon awakening (morning breath).  This form of bad breath often disappears upon brushing one’s teeth, flossing and using mouthwash.

A more serious condition, known as “persistent” bad breath is usually caused by the metabolic activity of certain types of oral bacteria or diseases or conditions of a more systemic nature.  While often joked about, bad breath can negatively affect a person’s social and business relationships leading to decreased self-esteem and psychological stress.

The causes of breath odor are not entirely understood but most unpleasant odors are know to arise from proteins trapped in the mouth which are processed by oral bacteria.  Over 600 types of bacteria are found in the average mouth and many of these can produce high level of foul odors when incubated in a laboratory setting.

The most common origin for the mouth odor is the tongue.  The back of the tongue is very difficult to clean.  Bacterial populations can thrive there on remnants of food debris, dead epithelial cells and post nasal drip.

Other situations in the mouth that contribute to mouth odor may be food impaction between the teeth, faulty dental work, abscesses and unclean dentures.  The bacteria associated with gum disease produce a very distinct type of bad breath.  All of the above conditions provide hard to clean areas which are ideal for growing large populations of bacteria capable of producing mouth odors.

There are a few medical conditions which may cause foul breath odor which are infrequent in the general population These are liver failure, respiratory tract infections, kidney failure, cancer, and diabetes.

Chronic halitosis is not well understood so effective treatment is not uniform in all cases.  However, the following strategies may be helpful
          1 Cleaning the tongue – This may be done by using a tongue scraper, tongue brush, or the edge of a teaspoon.
          2 Chewing sugarless gum – This not only alters the odor of the mouth but will stimulate more saliva, helping cleanse the mouth
3 Maintaining proper oral hygiene –  Brushing, flossing and professional cleaning obviously will decrease the volume of bacteria in the mouth reducing the probability for mouth odor to occur.
4 Maintain water levels – Drink several glasses of water each day to cleanse the mouth and be sure saliva flow is at adequate levels.

Your dentist can help you with specific diagnostic and treatment planning determinations for any personal halitosis problem you or a family member may be experiencing.