Causes of Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Very few people wake up in the morning looking like a soap opera star--eyes bright, hair perfect and mouth kiss ably fresh. Although a quick wash and brush of the teeth usually make us feel clean and presentable, sometimes a nagging worry about breath odor remains. Is it just normal morning staleness? Or is it halitosis, the medical term for bad breath? Would your friends tell you? Could you tell a friend?

We all know certain factors can make breath smell worse than usual--smoking, alcohol, onions, garlic and spicy foods are notorious offenders--but a little time and good dental hygiene soon eliminate these problems. With true bad breath, however, normal cleaning of the teeth and mouth are not enough to restore freshness. In some instances persistent bad breath can even signal a serious medical problem.

Poor oral health leading to the proliferation of certain types of bacteria is responsible for halitosis 90 percent of the time. If teeth and gums are not cleaned properly the remaining food particles and debris will ferment, releasing malodorous volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs). Extensive tooth decay, gum disease, oral infections, abscesses and cancers all cause bad breath, and by favoring the growth of bacteria sinus congestion, allergies and nasal polyps can be culprits as well. Once these problems are treated, reduced or eliminated, the bad breath will often disappear.

Dry mouth (xerostomia) can make the breath go from bad to worse. Normally, saliva will help flush away bacteria, food bits and cellular waste, and when the flow of saliva decreases this material tends to accumulate. The VSCs produced as it decomposes will also evaporate faster than normal and produce more odors in the drier environment. Some common causes of dry mouth are dehydration, alcohol-based mouth rinses, acute infection and certain medicines, including decongestant, antidepressants and blood pressure medication.

Bad breath occasionally has a more serious medical origin. Diabetes can produce an acetone-like or fruity smell; kidney disease an ammonia odor; liver and lung problems, sinus and tonsil infections.... The list goes on and on. A doctor will consider the nature of bad breath as a significant symptom in seeking a diagnosis.

But surely if you have halitosis you will have a bad taste in the mouth? Wrong. The two are not necessarily related. Dry mouth, for example, can cause a bitter or metallic taste even before odor can be detected.

Seeing your dentist regularly is both the first line of defense against halitosis and the first step to a cure. If the problem persists after establishing good oral hygiene, the next step is a visit to a doctor to rule out an underlying medical disorder. What NOT to do includes relying on breath fresheners or mints to mask the problem (they are not effective for long), depending on alcohol-based mouthwashes that dry the mouth or antiseptic mouthwashes that disturb the natural balance of bacteria, and obsessively brushing teeth and gums, which not only dries the mouth but can actually damage tissues and encourage bacterial growth.

A number of commercial ventures claim dramatic halitosis relief through following their particular program. We know of one in San Francisco that even includes the use of special instruments claiming to be more accurate, objective and sensitive than a human nose. These are used to measure the precise concentration of VSC's in the breath and to scan the gums for their potential sources. While we don't doubt their success, few of us can afford an extended stay away from home to take such a high-tech "cure." Start with your more affordable local dentist!

Fortunately there are some natural remedies to use while sorting out the cause of your problem. Simply enjoying an after-dinner cup of jasmine tea can help clear and sweeten the breath, especially if your meal was rich in garlic or oil. Tokyo herbalist Lindsay Nojiri recommends a mouthwash prepared by simmering three cloves, 1 gram of ginger root and 2 grams of licorice root in 400 milliliters of filtered water. After 10 or 15 minutes, pour this over 2 grams each of parsley leaves, red clover flowers and camomile flowers. Let stand for 10 minutes. A simpler approach, says Lindsay, is to chew several whole cloves (they are hard--be careful!), brew up your own "tea" of parsley or alfalfa, or take extra vitamin C either as tablets or in natural sources.

Interestingly, quite often the people most concerned about bad breath don't have it and those badly affected don't know. It is not an easy task to tell a friend or colleague about bad breath, but if it occurs often, not just after a binge of spicy food, cigarettes and alcohol, mentioning the problem is an act of kindness.

Discover how I cured my nasty Bad Breath here.

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