7 Causes of Bad breath

Bad breath is medically known by a variety of names such as Halitosis or fetor orid all of which imply the same. Bad breath affects a large number of people over the world.  There are various causes of bad breath. Approximately, 90% of the causes originate from the oral cavity; while very few are from extra-oral sources.

The seven most common causes of bad breath are:

1. Accumulation of Food Debris:

It is the most common cause for bad breath which is mainly due to collection of food particles/debris on or between the teeth or even on surface of the tongue. This occurs mostly in people who do not maintain good oral hygiene. The accumulated food particles act as food for bacteria which results in bacterial respiratory products which are responsible for the characteristic rotten egg smell.

2. Tooth Decay: Tooth decay can be responsible for bad breath in some cases.  Tooth decay, medically known as dental caries causes putrefactive action of bacteria on the teeth which leads to demineralization of the tooth and bad breath.

3. Dryness of mouth (Xerostomia):  Dryness of mouth may sound harmless, but it is one of the most common causes of bacterial.  Saliva inhibits growth of bacteria in the oral cavity. Reduction in salivary secretion favors bacterial accumulation and growth leading to bad breath.

4. Gum Diseases: Periodontal diseases are often accompanied by bad breath.

5. Smoking: Smoking, apart from its innumerable harmful affects also contributes to bad breath which is due to accumulation of nicotine, tar and other odor producing substances in the mouth. Bad breath due to smoking is typically known as smoker’s breath.

6. Severe Dieting: Starvation resulting from excessive dieting can cause a condition known as ketoacidosis  which can cause bad breath.

7. Extra-oral sources: In very few cases, the cause of bad breath does not lie in the oral cavity. Some examples of these conditions are infections of respiratory tract, diabetes, kidney dysfunction, gastric reflux.

Another important aspect of bad breath that needs to be mentioned is delusional halitosis. Delusional halitosis is people who do not actually have bad breath but, they think they do. This affects about 25% of people who seek professional treatment for bad breath.