What Causes Bad Breath
Watch your tongue!
Do friends offer you mints when you get too close? Brushing your teeth twice a day may not be enough, your tongue needs attention too. Bacteria that cause malodors not only build up on your teeth, but they can also build up on your tongue.
What causes bad breath?
Most of the time (80 to 90%) bad breath originates in the mouth.
There are two types of bad breath, transitory bad breath which is caused by foods like garlic and onions and generally lasts for about 24 hours.
Chronic bad breath has odors similar to rotten eggs and does not improve over time. Chronic bad breath results when bacteria in the mouth and on the tongue produce volatile sulfur compounds (VCS) in the form of hydrogen sulfides
The back of the tongue is the prime breeding spot for anaerobic bacteria that create odor-causing Volatile Sulfur Compounds. This may be an ongoing problem requiring professional breath management.
There is no permanent cure for 90% of chronic bad breath cases. But now, with the recent advances in the dental science, it is possible to bring this problem under control.
In some conditions odors may be caused by:
- A systemic condition, such as diabetes
- Sinuses problems and post nasal drip
- Troubles with the pharynx, lungs or stomach
- Respiratory tract infection
- Dieting
- Chronic bronchitis
- Gastrointestinal disturbance
- Liver or kidney ailment
- Poor dental hygiene
- Infections of the mouth / gum disease
- Dry mouth
- External agents... garlic, onions, coffee, smoking etc...
If you've been getting too many mints offered to you lately, perhaps it's time to make an appointment with your dentist. Our Foothill Ranch dental office is centrally located serving the communities of Anaheim, Irvine, Lake Forest, Tustin and Laguna Niguel communities of Orange County, California.
Feel free to request your dental appointment online and we'll contact you directly
