Everyone gets bad breath from time to time. For most people, small changes to their diet or oral hygiene habits can help fix bad breath. Medically called halitosis, bad breath can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical issue. Here is a bit more information on some of the common causes of bad breath and when it may be a sign of illness.
What is Halitosis?
Halitosis is a common and treatable condition in which the breath develops an odor. However, chronic halitosis, or prolonged bad breath, could be a sign of a bigger health issue. The good news is that in most cases, bad breath isn’t a sign of serious illness and is something that can be fixed with the help of a proper diagnosis by your dental or health care provider.
Common Causes of Bad Breath (Halitosis)
One of the barriers to eliminating bad breath is first determining its cause. Below, we describe some of the most common causes:
- Oral Health: In most cases, bad breath is caused by poor oral hygiene. If you neglect your daily brushing and flossing, small pieces of food will stay in your mouth and decompose into a sticky substance full of bacteria, called plaque. Over time, these bacteria will cause your breath to smell.
- Coffee & Alcohol: Strong coffee and alcohol can both cause bad breath, not only because these substances have an odor, but also because they impact your saliva production. Less saliva in the mouth will lead to an increase in odor-causing bacteria.
- Food & Diet: You may have noticed that after eating certain foods, like garlic or onions, your breath tends to smell. Fortunately, this bad breath is directly linked to eating those foods and can be minimized. Certain diets high in sugar or protein may lead to the buildup of excess plaque and bacteria in the mouth and contribute to bad breath. Bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars, and diets low in carbohydrates may cause changes to the body’s metabolism, leading to bad breath. Lastly, high-protein foods are sometimes difficult for your body to digest and can release sulfurous gases in the digestive tract.
- Smoking: Tobacco products all cause bad breath after each use and cause more serious damage to the gum tissue and gum disease, which will lead to increased bacteria and bad breath over time.
- Prescription Medication: Specific blood pressure medications, antihistamines, and antidepressants can cause dry mouth, reduce saliva production, and increase the likelihood of bad breath. Over a hundred different medications list the side effect of dry mouth.
Other Serious Medical Conditions That Cause Bad Breath
Although most cases of bad breath are caused by bacteria in the mouth, several illnesses or serious health conditions may also be responsible. Chronic bad breath can be a warning sign that other diseases or illnesses, from sinus infections to liver disease, are present. If none of these common causes seem to be explaining your bad breath and you’ve noticed your breath isn’t improving despite improved oral hygiene, it may be time to see your healthcare provider.