7 Surprising Causes of Bad Breath
Ever wondered what causes bad breath? Also known as halitosis, bad breath has long been linked to poor dental hygiene. Not flossing or brushing your teeth regularly causes bacteria to build-up on your teeth, tongue, and gums—and, combined with saliva (which breaks down food particles), it ends up releasing a stinky-smelling gas. Add to that rotting food particles stuck between your teeth, and you’re sure to get bad breath.
Studies have shown other causes of bad breath that have nothing to do with oral hygiene! Here are just some of the surprising causes of bad breath:
Medicines
Certain medicines, such as antibiotics or antidepressants, can cause one to have a dry mouth. Having a dry mouth could give you bad breath, since you need saliva to flush out bacteria that build up in your mouth.
Gastrointestinal disorders
A study published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology in 2008 found that the helicobacter pylori infection, which causes peptic ulcers and gastric cancer, may be a culprit for halitosis. In fact, h. pylori was found in 87% of halitosis-sufferers.
Also read: Flash Those Pearly Whites
Low-carb diets
The road to fat loss (and a thinner waistline) may be paved with good intentions—but the journey may include bad breath. Depriving your body of carbohydrates makes it start to dip into fats and proteins as its main source of energy. All that fat-burning causes the body to create chemicals called “ketones”: which, unfortunately, has a sweet, sickly, unpleasant smell.
Respiratory tract infections
Did you know that having bronchitis, sinusitis, or even a simple cold, could cause bad breath? Thank the increase of sinus and nasal secretions, like mucus, which bacteria feed on. Plus, having a stuffy nose means you end up breathing through your mouth—which can dry it out (remember, you need saliva to flush out bacteria.)
Also read: Breath Check!
Smoking
No mystery here! Smoking, or even chewing, tobacco can give you bad breath, thanks to chemical residue that gets left in the mouth. Puffing away can also bring about gum disease or certain oral cancers, both causes of halitosis.
Not eating breakfast
Eating a healthy breakfast gives you the proper nutrients to help fuel you for the day ahead. It can also help prevent bad breath! Eating breakfast stimulates saliva production in the mouth, which helps get rid of “morning breath.” It also helps flush away bacteria that have been lingering in your mouth overnight!
Tonsil stones
Also known as “tonsillolith,” tonsil stones are the little white-ish clusters that you might spit out from time to time. Tonsil stones are actually calcified material that gets stuck in the crevices of your tonsils. They’re mostly composed of calcium, and, while they rarely cause harm, they do stink, and can most definitely cause bad breath.
