What Causes Bad Breath? - Food and Health

Causes Bad Breath

The causes of bad breath just so you know the technical term halitosis simply means bad breath this is derived from the Latin word halitosis meaning breath or exhalation and the Greek suffix osseous meaning a process or condition one quick point before I get started saliva is important to the hygiene in our mouth contains enzymes that help break down food and maintain the acid-base balance at your mouth both of which blunt the growth potential of bacteria it is antibacterial properties as well including compounds such as IgA an immunizer that assumes a basic job in invulnerability lactoferrin lysozyme and peroxidase these are fundamental to our oral cleanliness and at last to our general body wellbeing as well and on to the causes of bad breath the first and most common would be poor dental hygiene if you don't brush and floss your teeth regularly meaning two or three times a day food particles and bacteria will build up the bacteria can thrive around your teeth tongue and gums leading to plaque buildup and over a period of time sometimes as fast as overnight or in subsequent days your breath will inevitably get words continued neglect can lead to other conditions in your mouth including dental cavities gum disease or around your teeth unfortunately these issues if what's up treated can cause problems much worse than bad breath eating certain foods can either release their own foul odor and/or promote certain bacteria that do the same thing this includes but is certainly not limited to fish cheese onions garlic and other vegetables and spices you may have part of the ketogenic diet which is essentially a low carb diet if your body isn't a significant katatak state and that is to say that you are relying primarily on body fat for energy production it can actually cause your breath to smell fruity and this is commonly known as katatak breath smoking and chewing tobacco and frankly any tobacco products can also cause bad breath not only will they cause your breath to smell bad they will stain your teeth you rotate in the road your gums and increase your risk for gum disease and oral cancer among other types of cancer if your mouth does not produce enough saliva it can lead to a dry mouth this process is known as xerostomia slothy helps clean your mouth in the lack of saliva can foster an environment for bacteria to grow causes a dry mouth include dehydration certain illnesses such as Sjogren's syndrome medications or excessive breathing through your mouth this is why when you wake up in the morning you have a dry mouth and morning breath because you have an overgrowth of bacteria from the decrease in saliva production other dental causes of bad breath include dental cavities also known as dental caries which provide a place inside your tooth where bacteria can flourish poorly fitting dentures or braces can also set you up for bad breath tonsil stones which are technically known as tonsil lifts can be impacted in the tonsils in the back of your mouth and can be very foul-smelling and of course post surgical infections after dental surgery or oral maxillofacial surgery there are some medical conditions that can also contribute to bad breath this would include upper respiratory tract infections like acute and chronic sinusitis and thrush as well as lower respiratory tract infections namely bronchitis and pneumonia diabetes acid reflux and lactose intolerance can also contribute to bad breath and certain liver and kidney diseases can set you up bad breath as well