The #1 Cause Of Bad Breath

“One of the most common misconceptions is that halitosis is caused by the foods you eat” – American Academy of Periodontology

Chronic bad breath is a condition that affects many millions of people the world over, although sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one going through this daily nightmare.

If you’ve tried to cure your bad breath in the past without much success, it may be that the treatments you’ve tried are simply masking the smell temporarily without actually tackling the root cause of the problem. Breath sprays, mints and mouthwashes may give you some immediate relief, but longer-term you need to understand what causes bad breath in order to be able to tackle it effectively – and permanently.

In this article we’ll take a look at the most common cause of halitosis, and what you can do about it.

You may be surprised by the results…

Why Bacteria In Your Mouth Are Most Likely To Blame For Your Smelly Breath

According to various dental research studies carried out over the years, over 90% of all cases of chronic bad breath originate in our mouths. Only a very small percentage of bad breath cases are as a result of problems in other parts of the body, such as the stomach, sinuses or lungs.

Our mouths contain a certain type of bacteria which live mainly in between the fiber-like brushes of our tongues, as well as under the gums, in the spaces between our teeth, and in our throats. These bacteria are anaerobic, meaning that they can survive – and indeed thrive - without oxygen.

Despite the sinister-sounding name, these bacteria do actually have a very important role to play. They are responsible for breaking down the proteins found in our food, as well as helping our bodies to digest diseased oral tissue and dying cells in our mouths.

So How Exactly Do These Bacteria Cause Our Mouths To Reek?

When these bacteria come into contact with certain amino acids found in proteins during the digestive process, sulphur compounds known as Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC) are released from the back of the tongue and throat.

Normally these VSC are relatively unnoticeable, but when the bacteria are present in particularly large amounts, highly unpleasant smells can occur and are responsible for your bad breath.

Is It Really Any Wonder Your Breath Smells With These Compounds At Work!

There are many different VSC at work, each causing your breath to smell foul.

For example, one such compound is Hydrogen Sulphide which smells like rotten eggs. Another is Methyl Mercaptan, which is similar to the smell of skunk oil!

Or how about Methanethiol or Skatole, both of which produce a pungent aroma of rotten cabbage. Or Isovaleric Acid which creates a smell comparable to sweaty feet or armpits!

How To Regulate These Anaerobic Bacteria To Avoid Bad Breath For Good

All of us have these anaerobic bacteria present in our mouths. Sometimes, however, some people just have larger quantities than normal resulting in halitosis.

If you’re one of the many people suffering from an increased amount of bacteria, don’t despair. Knowing what aggravates them and taking steps to avoid doing so can cure your bad breath for good.

In particular, some dental experts and researchers have recommended avoiding certain types of food, especially those which contain very high amounts of protein as the mouth needs to produce more bacteria to break down it down. Also, there are certain types of drinks which should be avoided, such as coffee and soda, as these can actually make the situation worse.

We’ve recently come across a helpful report which explains in detail exactly what types of food and drink to avoid and why, as well as lots of useful information on several other simple ways of keeping these bacteria in check in order to beat bad breath for good, such as the most effective tooth-brushing techniques and home remedies which may get rid of halitosis.

Knowing what causes bad breath is the first step to beating it - permanently. As you can see, in the vast majority of cases bad breath is simply the result of a higher-than-average amount of essential bacteria in the mouth and is something that can be overcome relatively easily.

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