What's the link between gum disease and bad breath?

What's the link between gum disease and bad breath?

Studies conducted over the last 50 years have confirmed the link between gum disease and offensive odor, according to a research review published in a leading dental journal in 2001. "A more disagreeable odor" emanated from the mouths of people with gum disease because their saliva putrefied more rapidly that that of healthy individuals, according to the review. Several clinical studies also showed elevated levels of VSCs in the pockets of inflamed gums, and the more diseased the gums, the higher the levels, the review reported. People with chronic gum disease also have more "tongue coating" -- and four times the production of odor-producing VSCs -- than individuals without gum disease. Finally, dental plaque, composed of bacteria as well as proteins, contributes to an unpleasant smell. All this adds up to what dentists refer to as "oral malodor," otherwise known as bad breath.