Medically called halitosis or fetor oris, bad breath results from either poor dental habits or can be a sign of other health issues. Bad breath also results from the type of food you eat or an unhealthy lifestyle.

It’s known to affect almost one in every four people. Although the causes and treatments vary, regular brushing, flossing, and hydration are the best solutions.

Here are a few causes of bad breath:

  1. Food – Eating foods like onions, garlic, and spices can cause issues with your breath. When food particles get stuck in-between your teeth, it can lead to the growth of bacteria. This in turn causes a foul odor.
  2. Tobacco products – Smoking is one of the biggest causes of bad breath because of its unpleasant odor. Additionally, tobacco users and smokers are more likely to have gum diseases resulting in bad breath.
  3. Poor dental hygiene – Not brushing and flossing daily causes bad breath. Plaque is a colorless sticky bacteria film that forms on teeth. This can irritate gums and volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). Brushing and flossing remove stuck food particles between teeth and reduces the plaque buildup.
  4. Dry mouth – Saliva washes away bacteria, thus acting as a natural deterrent to bad breath. When average saliva production is reduced due to internal or external factors, dry mouth condition occurs. A common occurrence of dry mouth happens during sleep that leads to bad morning breath. This is because of the decreased production of saliva that helps in cleaning your mouth. Increased consumption of alcohol or certain prescription drugs causes a drop in saliva formation, causing bad breath.
  5. Medical Conditions – Certain medical conditions like gum diseases, allergies, lactose intolerance, or diabetes can result in bad breath. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is also associated with bad breath.
  6. Sinus, Mouth, or Throat Conditions – Infection in the mouth or throat can easily lead to halitosis. Even the tonsils at the end of the throat can also cause bad breath as bacteria collects on the stones.
  7. Crash Diets – Low carb and keto diets are good for health and waistline but can be wrong on the breath. It’s because ketones are released as the body burns fat.

Diagnosis

If you experience bad breath for a significant period of time, you should see a dentist to determine the cause of your bad breath. Your dentist might use services like Halimeter, Gas chromatography, BANA test, or a Beta-galactosidase test.

How To Stop Bad Breath

Pharmaden provides a unique solution to bad breath problems. A double-blind study was done to see the results on Pharmaden’s PerioTherapy products for just 60 days, and the results showed a significant reduction of plaque, bleeding, and pocket depth.