Persistent bad breath usually starts in the mouth. Learn the dental and medical causes of halitosis, how to test your own breath, what works at home and when to see a dentist.
Bad breath, or halitosis, affects about one in four people regularly and is one of the most common reasons for dental visits. The good news: in roughly nine out of ten cases the cause is in the mouth, which means a dentist can usually find and fix it.
Mints and mouthwash mask odour for a while; cleaning the tongue and gums removes its cause.
What causes bad breath?
Dental causes
- Bacteria on the tongue. The rough back of the tongue harbours bacteria that break down proteins and release sulphur compounds, the main source of odour.
- Gum disease. Infected gum pockets produce a characteristic strong smell; persistent halitosis is often the first sign of periodontitis.
- Food trapped between teeth, under bridges or around broken fillings and decayed teeth.
- Dry mouth. Saliva washes away bacteria; less saliva (from mouth breathing, some medicines, dehydration or sleeping) lets odour build up, which is why morning breath is universal.
- Dentures that are not cleaned thoroughly every day.
- Infections such as an abscess, pericoronitis around a wisdom tooth or oral thrush.
Other causes
- Smoking and tobacco chewing
- Foods like garlic, onion and strong spices (temporary)
- Sinus infections, post-nasal drip and tonsil stones
- Acid reflux and, less commonly, diabetes, liver or kidney conditions
- Crash dieting or fasting (ketone breath)
How to check your own breath
Lick the back of your wrist, let it dry for ten seconds and smell it, or scrape the back of your tongue with a spoon and smell the residue. Asking a trusted friend is the most reliable test. Many people who worry about bad breath do not actually have it, while others are unaware of it because the nose adapts.
Getting rid of bad breath
- Clean your tongue every morning with a tongue scraper or your brush, from back to front. This single step makes the biggest difference for most people.
- Brush twice and floss once daily. Flossing removes the decaying food and plaque between teeth that brushing misses.
- Stay hydrated and chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva.
- Use a mouthwash with zinc or chlorine dioxide, which neutralise sulphur compounds; alcohol-based rinses can dry the mouth and make things worse.
- Clean dentures and aligners daily and leave them out at night.
- Stop smoking.
- Have a professional cleaning to remove tartar and treat gum disease.
When to see a dentist or doctor
See a dentist if bad breath persists for more than two or three weeks despite good hygiene, if gums bleed, or if you have a bad taste, tooth pain or a dry mouth. The dentist will check for gum disease, decay, infections and dry mouth and treat the cause. If the mouth is healthy, your physician can look at sinus, digestive or metabolic causes.
Fresh breath starts with healthy gums. Book a cleaning and check-up with a dentist near you on Dentavya.