How to Beat Bad Breath

The most common cause of bad breath is poor oral hygiene. If you don’t brush and floss daily, food particles will remain in your mouth and promote the growth of odour-producing bacteria. This also occurs if you don’t properly clean dentures. When bacteria builds up on your teeth as plaque, it causes gum irritation and may develop into periodontitis, a bacterial infection that can worsen bad breath.

Here are some other potential causes of bad breath:

• Certain foods and beverages are known perpetrators of bad breath and can linger in your mouth for hours. Additionally, when garlic and onions are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream, their molecules circulate in your lungs and continue to affect your breath.
• Dry mouth, a condition characterized by insufficient saliva production, often results in bad breath since saliva helps flush bacteria and other particles from your mouth. Many people also experience temporary dry mouth when they’re asleep, which may cause an unpleasant oral odour commonly referred to as morning breath.
• Smoking or chewing tobacco-based products directly affects your breath and increases the likelihood of developing gum disease, which can worsen bad breath.
• Medical conditions like tonsillitis, respiratory infections and gastrointestinal diseases can sometimes cause bad breath. Other medical conditions that may result in bad breath include uncontrolled diabetes and late-stage liver and kidney disease.