Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is usually characterized as a foul odor coming from one's mouth. Understanding the causes of bad breath are essential to treating individual cases. Some cases cannot simply be masked with mints and sprays and require medical intervention to find the source of the odor. The most common causes of bad breath are poor oral hygiene, diet, alcohol or tobacco consumption, and disease and infection.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Oral hygiene is the strongest factor influencing whether someone will have pleasant, neutral or foul breath. In the April 2002 issue of Scientific American, Dr. Mel Rosenberg said that nearly 90 percent of bad breath originates within the mouth. The bacteria that live and thrive in the mouth can hide on the surface of the tongue and in between teeth, the throat and within the gums. If left unattended, this can lead to cavities and rotting teeth, which in turn can also be a source of bad breath. Proper oral hygiene techniques can eliminate nearly all oral sources of bad breath. Vigilance in brushing or scraping the tongue is of particular interest. At the 2006 annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research, Dr. Violet Haraszthy and associates found that the bacteria that live on the tongue account for nearly 90 percent of bad breath.
Diet
Even with proper oral hygiene, bad breath can still occur from specific types of food, such as onions, garlic, fish and spices, which can significantly impact a person's breath well beyond proper brushing, flossing and rinsing. This occurs because certain foods contain pungent oils that are absorbed into the bloodstream and eventually pass through the lungs. As a person exhales, he breathes out these pungent odors, resulting in bad breath. The Mayo Clinic says foods such as onions and garlic can cause bad breath for as long as 72 hours after ingestion.
Alcohol and Tobacco
Alcohol and tobacco are broken down in the liver and bloodstream and pass through the lungs. This is why alcohol can be smelled on a person's breath even 24 hours after consumption. Smoking cigarettes negatively affects the entire airway from the mouth to the esophagus to the lungs. Smoke and tar can damage the cells in the airways, impacting the odor given off in the air exchange.
Acute Infection
Bad breath can also occur when a person is ill with an acute infection, such as cold or flu. According to the Ohio State University Medical Center, bad breath can be an indicator of certain respiratory infections, including infection of the nose, windpipe and lungs; chronic bronchitis; postnasal drip; and chronic sinusitis. As the body works to eliminate the viral infection, bio-chemical reactions occur, giving off unpleasant odorous gasses, perhaps as an evolutionary warning to others.
Disease
Bad breath can also occur with more serious conditions such as liver disease, kidney disease and lung cancer. Specific diseases can cause blood-borne halitosis, in which the lungs take part in eliminating some of the pathogens. In the September 2006 issue of the British Medical Journal, Dr. Stephen Porter said bad breath from systemic diseases does not usually occur immediately, but more often in the advanced stages. In addition, Porter said the medications used to treat the diseases can also cause halitosis.
References
- "Scientific American"; Science of Bad Breath; Mel Roseberg; April 2002
- Reuters: Scientists Find Bug Responsible For Bad Breath
- Mayo Clinic: Causes of Bad Breath
- British Medical Journal; "Clinical Review: Oral Malodour"; Stephen Porter; September 2006
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Halitosis
