Beating Bad Breath

What Causes Bad Breath
There are a number of causes of bad breath from poor dental hygiene to infections. Most of the causes of bad breath can be found in your mouth.

• Food
  Foods that contain sulfur compounds, like garlic, onions and eggs, are common causes of bad breath. When you eat these foods, the sulfur gets into your bloodstream and then your lungs. This means that when you breathe, you exhale the unpleasant smelling sulfur. Other food products like milk and meat can also cause bad breath.
  
• Improper dental hygiene
  Just like other things that are not properly cleaned, your mouth starts to smell bad if it is not properly maintained. If you do not brush your teeth regularly, food particles lodge in and around your teeth and begin to decay, producing unpleasant odors. Also it is important to brush your tongue since it too collects tiny food particles and bacteria. In addition, lack of regular hygiene can lead to gum disease, which can also cause bad breath.
  
• Dry mouth
  A dry mouth is a common cause of bad breath because it produces an ideal environment for odor-causing bacteria. There are a number of causes for dry mouth, including tobacco, alcohol, sleeping with your mouth open or snoring.
  
• Tobacco - smoking or chewing
  
• Respiratory infections or nasal drainage

In some cases, however, bad breath is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. Bad breath can be a symptom of:

• Tooth infection
  
• Gum disease
  
• An impacted tooth
  
• Throat infection
  
• Sinus infection
  
• Lung infection

Preventing Bad Breath
In most cases, paying closer attention to your dental hygiene, being sure to brush and floss repeatedly, and watching what you eat can cure bad breath. If bad breath is not caused by a medical condition, like an infection, there are a number of simple things that you can do to reduce or eliminate bad breath including:

• Visit your dentist on a regular basis to have your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist.
  
• Brush teeth AND gums properly.
  
• Remember to clean your tongue when you brush.
  
• Floss regularly.
  
• Keep your mouth moist by drinking plenty of liquids if you have dry mouth symptoms.
  
• Clean your mouth well after meals and snacks.
  
• Use a mouth spray.

The information in this article, including reference materials, are provided to you solely for educational or research purposes. Information in reference materials, are not and should not be considered professional health care advice upon which you should rely. Health care information changes rapidly and consequently, information in this article may be out of date. Questions about personal health should always be referred to a physician, dentist or other health care professional.