Halitosis or bad breath can create a huge amount of discomfort. Beyond the embarrassment that it create for both you and other people, since it isn't something people are ready to talk about, it can destroy a business negotiation, totally trash a date and leave you feeling either confused or lower than a worm's belly. Just the anxiety and the doubt that lies in that annoying little thought, "is it my breath?" can be enough to spoil anybody's day. But let's just face the truth. Yes, everybody can have bad breath at least sporadically and some have such a serious problem that a regular bad breath solution just will not work for them.
So What causes bad breath?
Typically halitosis or bad breath is a result of bacterial activity mostly on the tongue - and mostly in difficult to reach locations, and on and around the teeth. As these bacteria feed on the food particles and plaque they find, sulfur compounds are released which cause the bad smells. But, this might be only part of the story and not all of those odors coming out of the mouth might be a result of bacterial activity. A valid bad breath solution really results from identifying exactly what is contributing to the problem so let's look at some other frequent questions about bad breath causes.
Does food cause bad breath?
Certainly. Food is probably the main non-bacterial source of bad breath. The most common nasty ones are garlic and onions which have smelly molecules that stay in our system, and subsequently reach our lungs so that when we breath we begin to smell up the locale. Also, since there is a link of sorts between acid reflux and halitosis, avoiding caffeine, chocolate, and greasy foods which could cause acid reflux may end up being a necessary part of your bad breath solution.
What will smoking do to my breath?
It will definitely be bad for your breath. Discounting the fact that even smokers find the smell of stale tobacco smoke revolting, smoking dries out your mouth which reduces the amount of saliva. That saliva, which you now don't have, would have acted like a natural mouth rinse to remove the bacteria and their waste products from your mouth. If you smoke, you probably won't really believe just how bad you may smell to both non-smokers and smokers since it may suppress your senses of taste and smell.
Can bad breath originate in the stomach?
Indeed, this can happen. Digestive halitosis is a result of the ongoing action of digestive enzymes. When there's no food to digest, they can start effecting the stomach lining and that may generate a nasty odor like rotting food which comes out in your breath. Normally it's fairly simple to stop digestive halitosis since it vanishes once you put some food in there for the enzymes to work on.
What do acid reflux and halitosis have to do with each other?|How are acid reflux and halitosis related?|What's the connection between acid reflux and halitosis?|Are acid reflux and halitosis related?}
Heartburn or acid reflux is a wrong way flow of stomach acids up the esophagus. Aside from being acutely unpleasant, it can deliver more food for bacteria to your mouth along with some unpleasant smelling molecules from the stomach. It is an indirect relationship but bad breath is one more reason to solve a problem with heartburn.
The most basic remedy, in most cases, requires killing off odor causing bacteria in the mouth. So, the simplest bad breath solution is to maintain excellent oral hygiene. Flossing is required because it helps eliminate both plaque and any food particles that don't get removed by brushing between teeth or at the gum line. Brushing assists in this process. Cleaning your tongue is particularly important. Since brushing it can be uncomfortable and could fail to be fully effective unless done carefully with a very soft brush, you could find a tongue scraper is a good alternative. Cavities or abscesses can also contribute to bad breath as well as being painful and causing tooth loss. Seeing your dentist regularly is part of good oral hygiene.
Some easy remedies to treat halitosis can also be used to reduce the effects of foods such as onions and garlic. Chewing on parsley or basil or other "greens" releases chlorophyll which is a deodorizer. As well as increasing the amount of saliva, our natural mouthrinse, citrus fruits own acidity eliminates most mouth bacteria. And they also leave your mouth with a tangy fresh scent.
As you've surely noticed, there is more than one bad breath solution. Different bad breath causes require different remedies and taking a holistic perspective will help you not only eliminate bad breath bacteria but also to take care of the other possible causes. Bad breath doesn't have to ruin even one more day. Discover more about what causes bad breath and remedies that work from Bad Breath Causes and Cures now.
