At one point or another, many of us have wondered, where does bad breath come from? That’s because we all have experienced bad breath at some point in our lives. In fact, we’ve all experienced it on a few occasions. Scientifically, it is known as halitosis(Latin for bad breath). In this article we will go over the underlying factors that contribute to bad breath. Also, we will explore the various causes behind halitosis.
Your Diet -Where Does Bad Breath Come From?
About 30% of the population complains about some sort of bad breath. And many times, it’s due to simple things. For example, your diet. Eating garlicy foods or foods with onion can cause you to suffer from bad breath. However, it’s not just about the foods you eat.
Where does bad breath come from? Well it’s only from what you eat. What you drink can also affect your breath. For example, drinking coffee can give you “coffee breath”. Drinking sugary drinks can also give you brad breath due to bacteria. We’ll go over that more later. Further, drinking alcohol can also cause bad breath due to dryness of the mouth.
Some food compounds can be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the lungs. These odorous compounds can also be released into the saliva, contributing to halitosis. Fad diets can also lead to bad breath. There are a few diets out there like carnivore diet and keto diet that can lead to halitosis. How?
Well, these diets promote the breakdown of fats by the body, resulting in the release of ketones. While the presence of ketones is a sign that your body is burning fat as a fuel source, it also means you most likely have bad breath. This is called ketosis breath.
Bacteria – Where Does Bad Breath Come From?
Where does bad breath come from? Above, we briefly touched on sugary foods and bacteria. You see, your mouth has good and bad bacteria. The bad bacteria feed off things like sugar. The bacteria then secrete smelly byproducts in your mouth. Not to mention, the bad bacteria will eat away at your enamel causing cavities. Cavities also lead to halitosis.
Bad Hygiene
This is going to be one of the most common reasons for bad breath. There’s a reason your dentist will tell you brush and floss twice a day. In fact, you should do it after every meal. Food will leave behind debris in your mouth that bad bacteria will feed off. Some of this debris can sit and collect on your tongue, contributing to halitosis.
Brushing and flossing your teeth is one of the easiest ways to prevent halitosis.
Tonsil Stones
One of the causes of bad breath can be tonsil stones. This can be a frustrating situation. You might eat a healthy diet and brush and floss twice daily and still have breath. You don’t smoke or drink alcohol. What could be the problem? Tonsil stones!
These are lumps of calcified material that get stuck in your tonsils. The material can often be food that has calcified. Tonsil stones give off a bad odor. The good news is that your doctor can help to remove them pretty quickly and painlessly. You can even gargle warm salt water to help loosen the tonsil stones.
Tobacco & Smoking
Where does bad breath come from? Smoking can irritate the gums and promote the growth of harmful bacteria, leading to bad breath. Further, the chemicals in tobacco linger in the mouth and respiratory tract, creating a persistent and unpleasant smell.
Above, we briefly touched on how alcohol can lead to dry mouth. Dry mouths are a place where bad bacteria thrive. Smoking, like alcohol, can give you a dry mouth. In fact, having a dry mouth deserves its own category.
Dry Mouth – Where Does Bad Breath Come From?
We already know that drinking alcohol and smoking will lead to dry mouth. Also. We’ve discussed that bad bacteria thrive in dry mouths. However, there are other ways to have dryness in the mouth. For example, exercising a lot. In fact, many athletes suffer from bad breath during and after games.
Not only do they dry mouths but drinking sugary drinks like Gatorade or Powerade doesn’t help. But even if you avoided alcohol, smoking and intense exercise, you could still suffer from dry mouth. How? A condition known as xerostomia.
Xerostomia is a condition where the flow of saliva decreases. Salvia is really good for you. It keeps your mouth from drying. Also, saliva provides a natural defense against bad bacteria as well as washes away food particles. If you notice that your saliva production is down, contact your dentist.
Medications & Drugs
Certain medications will lead to a dry mouth. Some people have little choice because they rely on daily prescriptions to go about their daily lives. If you need to take certain medications but you notice they lead to dry mouth, talk to your doctor and dentist. They might be able to find an alternative drug or a treatment plan to help you out.
Underlying Health Conditions
Where does bad breath come from? In some cases, bad breath may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Conditions such as respiratory infections, chronic sinusitis, liver disease, and diabetes can contribute to the development of foul-smelling breath. These conditions can lead to the release of specific chemicals that find their way into the breath.
Tips To Improve Bad Breath
Here are some helpful tips to improve bad breath:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day, after meals, with a fluoridated toothpaste.
- Clean your tongue. Preferably with a tongue scraper. Gently.
- Avoid tobacco smoking and chewing tobacco-based products.
- Rinse and gargle with alcohol-free mouthwash before bed.
- If you have dry mouth, make sure to drink enough fluids throughout the day and use over-the-counter moisturizing agents, such as a dry mouth spray, rinses, or dry mouth moisturizing gel. If you don’t see any improvement, you may want to schedule a visit with an oral medicine specialist. Oral medicine doctors provide comprehensive care for mucosal diseases, salivary gland disorders, orofacial pain conditions, and oral complications of cancer therapies, among other things.
- Visit your dentist regularly. Remember, oral causes are responsible for most cases of bad breath!
Conclusion – Where Does Bad Breath Come From?
Well ladies and gentlemen, we learned a lot today. All of us have experienced bad breath at least once in our lives. Where does bad breath come from? Well, we learned it can come from many different factors. However, we gave you tips on how you could identify these factors and how you can remedy halitosis. Further, it’s always best to discuss this with your dentist as they are professionals.
If you’re in Santa Clarita or the surrounding areas and you need quality dentists, don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer a wide range of services. From preventative dental to cosmetic. We even specialize in restorative dentistry.
Lastly, if you enjoyed our article, be sure to check out our blog. We have all kinds of cool articles with good information.
