Chronic Bad Breath - Causes and Management

Bad breath has generally been associated with dry mouth. Saliva prevents generation of bad bacteria in your mouth as it continually cleans it. It also clears the food particles from your mouth to keep the tongue clean. Thus, if there is a reduction in saliva production, these functions won't be carried out and would thus result in bad breath.

If you have a meal which contains smelly and pungent ingredients, such as onions and garlic, the compounds present in them will result in bad breath even after you have brushed and cleaned your teeth hours after the meal. Until and unless the compounds are digested and passed through your stomach for excretion, bad breath may remain intact.

While chewing gums, mouthwashes or sprays can help hide the odor for some time, it won't correct bad breath caused due to underlying problems. To get rid of bad breath properly, you need to brush and clean your mouth regularly. Plaque is a major cause of bad breath and regular flossing can help get rid of it. You would also need to improve your diet and lifestyle to ensure that the system of the body works properly so that the saliva and healthy bacteria production isn't disrupted.

People are led to believe that using mouthwashes and brushing can cure bad breath in all cases. However, this isn't true. While most cases of bad breath are due to oral hygiene problems, it could also signal issues about your overall health and point out other underlying conditions. For example, a bad diet causing serious gastrointestinal issues could be causing bad breath instead of oral health problems.