Certain habits, foods and diseases are some of the causes of bad breath.
Food is one of the reasons for bad breath. The food particles remaining in and around the teeth are decomposed by bacteria. This gives breathe an odor. Also ingestion of foods containing volatile oils like garlic and onion causes bad breath. After the digestion of these foods there is absorption of the pungent oils of these foods into blood. They are carried to lungs by blood and there they are expelled in the breath giving it a bad odor. Onion and garlic can cause bad breath for up to 72 hours after eating them. Also consumption of cabbage, coffee or vitamin supplements in large doses can cause bad breath.
Inadequate oral and dental hygiene can cause periodontal diseases which can cause bad breath. Bacteria present in the plaque decay the food particles in and around the teeth cause breath odor. Plaque can irritate gums causing gingivitis and tooth decay. The problem can further worsen. Food particles in dentures can cause similar problem.
Dry mouth can cause bad breath as saliva cleans the mouth and keeps it moist. Due to dry mouth dead cells get deposited on the tongue, cheeks and gums. Decomposition of these dead cells can cause bad breath. The bad breath in the morning is due to drying of mouth during sleeping.
Infections and abscess in lungs can cause bad breath. Some metabolic disorders, kidney problems, cancers, liver failure, esophageal and gastric cancer, pharyngitis, diverticulum, uncontrolled diabetes and chronic reflux of stomach acids can cause bad breath.
Infection of the sinus, foreign object in the nose, bronchitis, atropic rhinitis, upper respiratory tract infections and throat infections can cause bad breath.
Smoking causes bad breath due to two reasons: drying of mouth due to smoking and smokers are more likely to have periodontal disease. Alcohol consumption also causes bad breath.
Severe dieting can cause bad breath due to ketoacidosis. It is the breakdown of chemicals during fasting.
Drugs like paraldehyde, insulin injection or triamterene can cause bad breath.
Test to diagnose bad breath at home is to ask a friend or an adult family member about it. Smelling the dry saliva helps in detecting bad breath. Generally this over estimates the bad breath. Smelling the dry scrapings from the back of the tongue can detect bad breath.
Kits are now available to check for bad breath at home. They check for presence of sulfur compounds and polyamines in tongue swab.
If dental factors are ruled out for bad breath then specialized tests are available for diagnosis of bad breath. Some kits can detect the level of sulfur especially hydrogen sulfide in breath. It is sensitive to alcohol and certain food like onion and garlic, they produce sulfur so can give false readings.
Also mouth washes containing alcohol can give false results. Gas chromatography, ß-galactosidase test, BANA test are some of the tests available. But sniffing and scoring the level and type of bad breath by an expert is a gold standard for the diagnosis of bad breath.
Gentle cleaning of the tongue surface by tongue cleaner tongue scraper or tongue brush helps prevent bad breath. Inverted spoon can also be used for the purpose. Tooth brush should not be used for this.
Taking healthy breakfast containing rough foods help to clean the tongue.
Tongue gel or antibacterial mouthwash can be used. Chewing sugarless gum, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, mastic gum, eating fresh parsley and gargling before bedtime with mouthwash are some of the home remedies for avoiding bad breath.
Cleaning dentures is also important to avoid bad breath in people using it. Drink lots of water to have adequate water level in the body.
First it is better to try own oral hygiene techniques. If the condition does not improve after that then it is better to see a doctor to fine out the cause of bad breath.
