Causes Of Bad breath

Bad breath may be due to a number of reasons such as bad dental hygiene, bacteria in mouth, infection, diabetes, drugs, gum disease, heavy metal accumulation, liver disease, smoking, sulfur, and tooth decay.

Bad breath is due to anaerobic bacteria that live within the surface of the tongue and throat, that produce smelly sulfur compounds when they come in contact with proteins, which cause bad breath.

Plaque on the tongue can cause bad breath where bacteria can grow. If you do not clean your mouth after consuming alcoholic drinks, tobacco chewing, cigarette smoking, and foods like onions, garlic, etc. it can contribute to bad breadth. A deficiency of vitamin B and/or zinc may also become the cause of your bad breath.

Symptoms of Bad Breath

White or Yellow Film on the tongue, Post Nasal Drainage, White Nodules on the Tonsils, Dry Mouth and Bitter, Sour or Metallic Tastes are some of the common symptoms.

1. One of the most common symptoms, the film forms due to nasal mucous and bacteria accumulation on the tongue especially the backside. Removing it is not the complete solution as these bacteria are found in the entire mouth and the saliva. Longer or larger taste buds (also called papillae) in some people traps more bacteria. People suffering from post nasal (mucous) drainage tend to have these films on the tongue.

2. Post Nasal Drainage causes due to sinus and allergies, where a thick mucous drains down the throat from sinus or nasal areas, that typically contains bacteria and proteins. These proteins break down into amino acids that foster the bacterial growth and the mucous also protect the bacteria from oxygen resulting in the bacteria causing halitosis. This causes the person to clear his throat often. Hydro Pulse sinus irrigator and Breathe-Ease XL saline powder help in reducing the drainage.

3. Tonsils secrete white smelly nodules that usually go unnoticed as they are swallowed, but are noticed only when they get dislodged. They may be of 1mm-4mm in size and can be noticed only when placed at the entrance of nostrils. Removing the tonsils themselves would not be solution in many cases.

4. Dry mouth or Xerostomia is one of the main causes of halitosis caused due to ageing, medications, insufficient fluid intake. Dry mouth causes concentration of bacteria in the saliva that readily evaporate resulting in stronger bad breath. It also causes the alteration of acid / base balance in the mouth fostering bacterial growth. Less saliva causes accumulation of more bacteria and cellular debris.

5. Bad tastes like bitter, sour or even metallic tastes in the mouth are caused due to drainage in the sinus, medications dry mouth, dental infections or oral bacteria. Dry mouth is the main cause of bad tastes. However, not all causes of bad tastes produce bad breath, so bad tastes as a symptom may be misleading at times.