Bad breath is truly an unpleasant experience to deal with. The condition is known in medical terminology as halitosis. A sign of poor oral hygiene or an underlying medical issue, bad breath reflects poorly on one’s grooming in personal and professional situations. It can lower the self-esteem of a person suffering from the condition and make conversations an unpleasant experience. Let’s examine the most common causes of bad breath:

Oral health problems
One of the biggest causes of bad breath is dental disease. Tooth decay and deep cavities are the common culprits that cause bad breath. Gum disease and yeast infections of the mouth are also other common dental health issues that lead to bad breath. If one has persistently bad breath that refuses to go away even after brushing and experience a gum or toothache, they should head to a dentist immediately. Early treatment of tooth and gum problems can save one from a big dental bill later on.

Poor oral hygiene
Mouth odor is common in people who do not take good care of their teeth. Food stuck between the teeth and an uncleaned tongue can leave a truly foul mouth odor that is unpleasant for the individual themselves and for anyone around. Microscopic bacteria hide in the crevices between the teeth and gums as well as inside the bumps on the tongue. If one does not clean or rinse their mouth after every meal, these bacteria start to break down leftover food particles, and this leads to bad breath.

Dry mouth
Saliva is a body fluid that is necessary to keep the mouth hydrated and wash away dead cells that accumulate in the mouth. Some people have a condition that causes the mouth to produce insufficient quantities of saliva. This leads to a condition called dry mouth, which causes bad breath. In some cases, long-term intake of certain medications can lead to dry mouth as a side effect.

Health problems
There are other health issues – apart from dental – that can cause bad breath as a symptom. Some of these are tonsillitis, diabetes, respiratory diseases like bronchitis, acid reflux as well as diseases of the kidney and liver. For bad breath caused by medical conditions, treating the disease is the only way to reduce the occurrence of bad breath as a symptom.

Bad dental work
This might come as a surprise to most, but poorly done dental work is a common cause of bad breath. Poorly-fitted crowns or bridges in the mouth can cause food to get trapped near the teeth and gums. Orthodontic work such as braces can also lead to bad breath as food gets trapped in the dental fittings. It is for this reason that tooth and gum work needs to be done by a reputed dentist. An X-ray or a radiograph will help determine the cause of bad breath. Never discard mouth odor that persists after dental fittings, as this can lead to tooth decay. It is best to diagnose and treat it effectively.