What causes halitosis or bad breath?

While bad breath or halitosis may sometimes be caused by poor oral hygiene,

there may also be other underlying causes which contribute to bad breath and

are often difficult to treat, despite all efforts to follow a healthy mouth

and teeth cleaning routine.

This can cause great distress and even result in problems with relationships

and difficulties in the workplace.

There are a number of causes of bad breath, including:

*

Poor oral hygiene
*

Gum disease (e.g. gum boils, abscesses, spongy gums, gingivitis)
*

Multiplication of odor-causing bacteria in the mouth and digestive

tract
*

Candidiasis
*

Chronic sinus infection
*

Certain medications (especially those that cause dry mouth as a side

effect)
*

Smoking
*

Some foods can cause bad breath (garlic, onions, anchovies, high

protein diet)
*

Poor digestion and sluggish liver
*

Constipation

How do I know if I have bad breath?

Sometimes bad breath is noticed by an unpleasant or bitter taste in your

mouth.

You can also check the smell of your saliva by licking the skin on your inner

wrist and then smelling it. If it has an offensive odor, then the chances are

that your breath is not as sweet as you would like it to be!

However, it is also possible to suffer from bad breath without being aware of

it. If you notice that people tend to step away from you when you speak, turn

their heads or cover their mouths, then bad breath may be a problem.

The best way to find out is to ask someone who you can trust to tell you the

truth.