What Kind of Underlying Oral Conditions Can Cause Halitosis?

There are many kinds of oral conditions that can cause halitosis. The most common oral conditions that result in chronic halitosis include tonsilitis, periodontal disease (gum disease), rhinitis, sinusitis and ozena. However, the most common serious underlying condition is periodontal disease and chronic gingivitis. Most of the time, taking care of these conditions will result in better breath. Other underlying medical conditions can also include xerostomia, oral candidiasis (which can come about as a result of AIDS), and diabetes mellitus. In short, it is clear that bad breath is not merely a result of poor oral hygiene or the types of foods that you eat, although of course these also have a bearing on your breath.

Chronic Halitosis May Also Be a Result of Vitamin Deficiencies

Chronic halitosis may also be a result of vitamin deficiencies. Individuals who suffer from chronic vitamin or mineral deficiencies have been known to suffer from halitosis. What kind of vitamin deficiencies can also be responsible for causing chronic halitosis? The most important vitamins and minerals that are involved with halitosis include Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Zinc and Iron. In many cases, vitamin deficiencies are a result of an underlying medical condition. Serious underlying medical conditions that can cause chronic halitosis include stomatitis, glossitis and cancers. Common cancers that can produce chronic halitosis include oral tumors and pharyngeal. Cigarette smokers and tobacco chewers or dippers are more likely to suffer from some kind of chronic halitosis.

Other Medical Conditions that Can Lead to Chronic Halitosis

There are also many other chronic underlying conditions that can lead to halitosis. Thankfully, many of these are less serious and can be cleared up or treated with proper medical attention from your medical professonal. Medical conditions that can lead to chronic halitosis include diabetes mellitus, nasal and sinus etiologies, trimethylaminuria and gastric etiologies. Many of these are chronic or systematic conditions that can lead to more serious conditions. If you suspect that your chronic halitosis is caused by any of these conditions, you should definitely contact your health professional as soon as possible.

In the Meantime – Taking Care of Your Breath and Health

If you are undergoing treatment for an underlying medical treatment or are awaiting treatment, there are certainly many things that you can do in order to keep your breath fresh and clean. This includes proper oral hygiene, including flossing and the use of mouthwash rinses, and chewing sugarless gum in order to keep your mouth moist and properly salivated.

There are several steps you can take at home to help prevent halitosis (bad breath). The following are things you can do to help prevent bad breath:

1. Control Sulfur – The bacteria living in your mouth actually produces sulfur gases. Pure sulfur can actually kill you, so it isn't exactly a good thing. Sulfur is in oxygen's chemical period on the Periodic Table of chemical elements. If you have a Periodic Table of chemical elements handy, you can look it up. Sulfur has 16 protons and oxygen has 8 protons. Living things can actually survive on sulfur in absence of oxygen since it is so similar to oxygen. Morning breath especially is filled with bacteria that have been busily emitting sulfur gases while your mouth remained closed during the night. In order to rid yourself of this "morning breath", you can take a trip to the bathroom and rinse with mouthwash or even brushing your teeth and tongue will do the trick.

2. Routinely use toothpaste and mouthwash that contains zinc compounds or a stabilized chlorine dioxide that will help to break down the odor-causing sulfur chemicals.

3. Be diligent about good oral hygiene and learn how to brush your teeth properly. Most of us probably do not brush for a long enough period of time. We should also be brushing each tooth as well as brushing all of the surfaces of each tooth, this takes time. A quick once on top, and bottom just won't be good enough. When you miss and don't brush teeth, bacteria remain on them. Young children under age five will need adult assistance to brush their teeth properly.

4. Brush AND floss in between meals. Food particles can get lodged in between teeth and when we don't remove these particles, bacteria will settle in on them.

5. Scrub your tongue as a regular part of your oral hygiene

6. Get regular dental checkups so that oral problems can be detected early on and treated quickly to prevent problems that may lead to halitosis

7. Immediately make a dental appointment if halitosis persists after normal home dental care.

Ask your physician or your dentist about other things you may do to prevent bad breath.

Throat infections can also cause bad breath, so if you have a scratchy or sore throat that persists, especially if you have a fever with it, get checked out by a health professional.

No one likes the embarrassment of having bad breath and we certainly do not like to smell it on someone else, so learning how to prevent halitosis is important for everyone.

Systematic Causes – When Chronic Bad Breath Runs Deeper Than the Mouth

What do we mean when we talk about systematic causes? A systematic cause refers generally to a medical condition that is most likely chronic in nature and that affects the body in more than one way. It is estimated that roughly ten per cent of all diagnoses of chronic halitosis are a result of systematic causes. When we say that systematic causes are causing a person's chronic halitosis, this means that their chronic bad breath originates from somewhere outside the oral cavity.

The Most Common Systematic Causes – Sniffing Your Way to a Diagnosis

In many cases, chronic bad breath can be linked to a variety of systematic causes, and many of these can be linked to a specific smell. The most common systematic causes include diabetic ketosis, which is linked to an acetone-like scent in the breath, and liver failure, which is described as a mousy smell. Other known systematic causes that can cause chronic halitosis include cirrhosis, which is described as a rotten egg smell, and uremia, which is marked by a urinous smell. Another systematic cause is a lung abscess or bronchiectasis, which is known as a putrid smell. Other common systematic causes that may result in chronic halitosis include leukemia, blood dyscrasias, gallbladder problems or dysfunction, gastric carcinoma, pneumonia, bronchitis, pulmonary carcinoma and tuberculosis. Here is a some more in depth information on the most common systematic causes that are often responsible for chronic halitosis that originates from outside the oral cavity.

Diabetes – A Chronic Condition that May Result in Bad Breath

Diabetes mellitus is a systematic and chronic condition that can result in unusual or chronic bad breath problems. In some cases, diabetic patients may experience sweet or fruity breath. However, in most cases, patients will experience an unusual acetone-like scent that has identified as being close to pyrimidines and purines.

Trimethylaminuria – A Rare But Serious Disorder that Can Cause Chronic Bad Breath

Trimethylaminuria, most commonly described as fish odor syndrome, only affects about one percent of the North American population, but it significantly alters the lives of those that it touches. The condition is known to produce an all-over body fish odor. It is a genetic disorder that cannot be easily treated, but can often be significantly improved simply by eliminating foods that are high in choline. The condition has been known to cause a persistent fish odor in the breath.

What Causes Halitosis in the First Place?

It is helpful to understand how bad breath develops in the first place. The truth is that there is no one universal cause for halitosis. There are several triggers that may cause bad breath in one person, while leaving others unaffected. The two most common reasons for halitosis include food triggers and poor oral hygiene. Other common halitosis causes include dental decay, diseased gums (in the form of gingivitis), abscesses, broken crowns and cavities. This is why it is so important that you pay a visit to the dentist on a regular basis.

Other Potential Halitosis Causes

Halitosis can also be caused by any number of underlying systemic causes, including conditions that affect the respiratory tract, including the nose and throat. Gastrointestinal and digestive problems may also contribute to the development of halitosis. Chronic infections such as sinusitis are common triggers for prolonged halitosis. Other causes include bronchitis and other lung diseases, chronic tonsilitis, and gallbladder problems.

Home Remedies Offer Easy Relief from Halitosis

Halitosis is a common condition and many times it can be self-treated. It seems like almost everyone has their own home remedy recipe to help solve the problem of halitosis. One of the most common home remedy recipes calls for the use of fenugreek. Fenugreek is a vegetable whose seeds can be harvested and made into a tea that has been known to help cure halitosis. Of course, everyone will probably have a different reaction o Fenugreek, but it is certainly worth a try.

Use Avocados to Solve Your Halitosis Problems

Did you know that avocado can be used in a halitosis home remedy recipe? Avocado can be used as a kind of 'mouth lotion' that can help your mouth find relief from intestinal putrefaction.

Use Exotic Guava to Heal Your Halitosis

Another fruit that has been used to treat halitosis is guava. This little fruit is rich in malic, tannic, oxalic and phosphoric acids. It is also rich in calcium, manganese and oxalate. You can chew the guava fruit (a bonus: it is quite delicious) in order to help control gum decay and improve mouth odor. The leaves of the guava tree are also widely used in some parts of the world to control gum bleeding and mouth odor.

Turn to Parsley in a Crunch

Parsley is that much underappreciated herb of the culinary world. But it has a well-earned reputation as a mouth freshener. Try making a parsley drink (it tastes much better than it sounds) by chopping fresh parsley and straining it into two cups of water. You can even use your parsley drink as cool mouthwash.

Dry Mouth – One of the Top Bad Breath Culprits

A dry mouth is breeding ground for bacteria and the gunk that causes bad breath. Dry mouth is a condition that is also medically known as xerostomia. Dry mouth is a condition that can come about when the mouth is not producing enough saliva. The saliva glands are a very important part of good oral health. This is because saliva is a very important part of keeping a mouth healthy and clean.

Why Is Saliva So Important in the Oral Cavity?

Why is saliva so important? Saliva is important because it helps remove excess food debris and particles in the mouth that may have been left behind, even after rigorous brushing. There are many potential causes for dry mouth. Dry mouth can come about due to problems with the salivary gland. Nasal problems, including sinusitis, sinus infections and mouth breathing can lead to problems of chronic dry mouth. If you suffer from dry mouth, it is almost a given that you will suffer from some kind of chronic halitosis problem.

Do You Have Dry Mouth?

How do you know if you have dry mouth? In most cases, you will know. But if you are curious, you will be able to detect the signs as a dry and sticky feeling in your mouth. You may also feel a frequent thirsty feeling that is persistent. In more serious cases of dry mouth, you may even experience sores in your mouth. Some dry mouth patients may also feel that your throat is dry or burning. In some cases, dry mouth patients may even experience a raw or extra red tongue.

The Usual Suspects – Food Culprits that Will Turn Your Sweet Breath Sour

When it comes to finding out what is causing your bad breath, turn to what is on your dinner plate. It is no grand secret that your breath probably smells like what you have just finished eating. The usual bad breath suspects include garlic, onions, and foods that are high in protein. Fish and beef, for instance, are well known for their bad breath causing odors. When food becomes absorbed into your bloodstream, it then moves down into the lungs, where it is then expelled through the mouth. This means, of course, that the air you breathe will reflect what you have eaten. Certain diets have also been known to promote bad breath. Low-carb diets, for instance, have been known to produce ketone chemicals. These are chemicals that are released when the body does not have excessive carbohydrates to burn.

Why Put Together a Fresh Breath Kit?

A fresh breath kit is the perfect antidote to a case of the bad breath blues. We have all gotten these blues before; some of us more than others. Who needs a fresh breath kit? The truth is that all of us need a fresh breath kit. Everyone experiences some kind of halitosis at some point in our life. So why be caught unawares by it? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to reach for your fresh breath kit, rather than have to make an inconvenient stop at the local drugstore to shop for embarrassing breath fresheners? With the convenience of the Internet, you can shop for all your personal toiletries from the comfort of your home and put together a one of a kind fresh breath toiletry kit. Here are some ideas on what should go in your fresh breath kit.

A Tongue Scraper

This is a simple yet wonderfully effective device that is universally used around the world to clean the tongue. Strangely enough, it is not used as much in the United States. However, a tongue scraper is a must if you truly care about keeping a clean and fresh mouth. In case you have never come upon a tongue scraper (they are not widely carried in the United States), it is simply U-shaped metallic instrument. To use it, simply hold it with both hands and very gently drag it across the surface of the tongue. Clean thoroughly with hot water after each use.

A Soft Brush and Floss (and Toothpaste)

Of course, what kind of fresh breath kit would this be without a nicely angled toothbrush and floss. Choose unwaxed floss, if possible, because it tends to slide in between teeth with greater ease. When it comes to toothpaste, choose a simple flouride-based toothpaste. Unless you are very concerned about tooth-whitening, avoid formulas that add too many extra ingredients. If possible, choose one with baking soda, as baking soda has been shown to help contain odors well.

An Alcohol-Free Mouthwash

This can be difficult to find at your local drugstore, because most commercial mouthwashes contain alcohol as their primary ingredient. However, the ingredient is not recommended for the long haul. Alcohol has a natural drying effect on the mouth, which can eventually result in more bad breath. Avoid this cycle by choosing a more gentle mouthwash that gets the job done without all that alcohol.

Masticating Towards Sweet Breath

Every person who has ever suffered from bad breath has tried to mask the odor through the use of mints or lozenges. However, these are merely very temporary covers that will usually not do much for truly tacking the problem of bad breath. Especially if you are trying to banish your bad breath blues forever. Well, put away that cute tin of mints or sugary lozenges. These sugary products will not do much to solve your bad breath in the long run. Most dentists do not recommend the regular use of these lozenges as they are high in sugar and coat your teeth in sugar, making them a breeding ground for plaque and bacteria. Also, a diet high in sugar has been linked to higher rates of incidence of chronic halitosis. So what can you do to chew your way to better health?

Make Sugar Free Gum Your Best Friend

Pack some sugar free gum in your pocket or purse and chew it whenever you think that your mouth needs a breath freshener or pick me up. Sugar free gum is actually recommended by most dentists because it is known to help produce saliva. Saliva production is absolutely essential in making certain that your mouth stays clean and fresh. Saliva is your mouth's natural cleanser. It helps clear out the food debris and particles that stay in your mouth long after eating. It helps keep your mouth at the right temperature and helps keep the bacteria away. Too little salivation results in dry mouth, which is bacteria's favorite environment.

Chew on This – A Little Parsley, Mint Go a Long Way

If you need help keeping your mouth fresh after a long pungent meal, don't let the waiter throw out your parsley. Parsley is a natural breath freshener, so it makes perfect sense to chew on it after a long and delicious meal. No matter what you ate, your mouth will probably always need a bit of a pick me up after a meal. Another thing to chew on is a sprig of mint. Mint is one of the favorite ingredients of the toothpaste-making companies. It freshens the mouth with its naturally clean flavor.

Don't Forget the Fruit, Too

What other things can you chew on for a fresher mouth? Fruit and vegetables can actually produce a cleansing action in the mouth. Choose apples, celery, carrots and pears for a cleaner mouth.

What Causes Bad Breath, Anyways?

There are certain foods that are nearly universal triggers for a bad breath attack. These foods, such as garlic, onions, and meals with these ingredients plus oily meats (pizza comes to mind), are well known for their bad breath-causing properties. Of course, this doesn't mean that you have to give up your favorite foods for good; it simply means you need to take certain precautions if you don't want to be caught with bad breath. However, on a more specific level, most cases of bad breath is caused by bacteria that is released in the oral cavity (that means your mouth, in lay terms). This bacteria releases volatile sulfur compounds that is the perfect launching pad for bad breath. Other factors that can lead to a serious bad breath attack include phlegm and mucous that contains certain proteins that bacteria love to munch on, thus creating more bad breath. If you have been known to suffer from phlegmatic nasal conditions, you are much more likely to suffer from some kind of bad breath attack.

Keep Your Bad Breath From Going From Bad to Worse

If you know that you suffer from bad breath and it appears to be a chronic condition, make sure to visit a medical professional who can test for more serious underlying conditions. However, if your chronic bad breath appears to originate in the oral cavity, there are still many things that you can do to make sure that your chronic bad breath does not get any worse. Dry mouth can be a problem when it comes to bad breath. Saliva is key to keeping bad breath away because it is oxygen-rich and keeps bacteria from forming in abundance. One of the easiest ways to keep your mouth clean and fresh is to keep it well hydrated.

Avoid Food That Are Very High in Protein

Did you know that foods high in protein have been linked to bad breath? If you want to avoid getting the bad breath blues, you should avoid consuming too much meat or other foods that are very high in protein. For those who suffer from lactose intolerance, you will find that dairy can also be a cause for bad breath.

Avoid Acidic Foods, Too

If you are serious about making your breath cleaner and fresher, you will also want to avoid acidic foods and drinks. Acid is known to help bacteria multiply. Foods high in acid include tomatoes, so avoid that spicy tomato sauce if you are looking for clear breath. You will also want to avoid acidic drinks such as coffee.

Halitosis can be detected when the person who has it, exhales. The bad odor could be coming from the person's oral cavity (mouth) or somewhere else. There are several medical reasons for halitosis.

The source of the halitosis is usually the mouth and can come from oral dryness due to stress or fasting. It can also come from the foods we eat such as: cheese, fish, garlic, meat and onions. Smoking and alcohol consumption can certainly cause halitosis. Anyone who comes near someone who has been chain smoking or has been on a drinking binge can attest to just how bad the breath of a smoker or drinker can be.

There is such a thing as Chronic Halitosis. This is when someone has bad breath over a long period of time and is a more serious condition than just the occasional case of bad breath that can be attributed to something that had been consumed. This chronic condition of halitosis is experienced by 25% of the population to one degree or another. Halitosis can have a real impact on social life, self-esteem, and even business relationships. It can cause the person who has it to have increased levels of stress, which can lead to other health problems. Chronic halitosis is usually caused by metabolic activity of certain types of oral bacteria.

The average person's mouth can have over 600 types of bacteria in it. Several of these can produce foul odors when they are studied in a laboratory setting. It is not entirely understood what the connection is between these bacteria found in our mouth and bad breath, but we do know that it has something to do with the proteins that get trapped in our mouth from the food that we eat and how the bacteria in our mouth then processes this protein. The most common place for this odor causing bacteria to be found in the mouth is our tongue. This is why it is important to have good dental hygiene and to remember to brush our tongue. The back part of our tongue is rarely touched and is relatively dry and poorly cleansed. Bacterial populations can thrive back there off of parts of food particles deposited there as we chew and swallow our food. Dead epithelial cells and postnasal drip also can collect there on the back of the tongue. The habitat of the tongue is an ideal growing medium for bacteria. It is the breakdown of the residue on the tongue that produces most of the halitosis we smell coming from someone's mouth.

Other sources of oral halitosis can be gum disease, nasal, your tonsils, or certain systemic diseases such as liver failure, bronchial and other lung infections, renal failure, carcinoma, diabetes mellitus and metabolic dysfunction. All though if you or someone you know has bad breath, you should not immediately assume that it is because of one of these more serious sources. Most bad breath (halitosis) comes from oral sources.

Food:

Food starts the process of breaking down in our mouth when the teeth start to break chunks of food that have been bitten into smaller pieces by biting, tearing and chewing. Food particles can be trapped in between teeth, which can cause foul odor. Food also can contain oils that can be another source of bad breath. Certain foods like onions and garlic are good examples of foods that cause bad breath. Others are vegetables and spices. The oils in foods are first digested and the pungent oils are absorbed into the bloodstream. Then they are carried to your lungs where they are given off in your breath when you exhale, until the food is eliminated from your body.

Alcohol behaves in your body, much the same way as food. This is how breath analyzer tests work. What people smell on the breath of someone who has been drinking is not the alcohol but the components that are contained in the drink other than the alcohol.

Dental Problems:

Poor hygiene can lead to periodontal disease, which can lead to bad breath. If you forget to brush or floss, bacteria will collect in your mouth and on your tongue, which will emit hydrogen sulfur gases.

Another problem of poor oral care is that when you don't brush and floss properly gingivitis and tooth decay can result. Plaque-filled pockets form between your teeth and gums (periodontitis), can cause bad breath.

If you wear dentures and fail to clean them properly or if they do not fit properly and leave gaps where odor-causing bacteria and food particles and gather, you will experience bad breath.

Dry Mouth:

Saliva is used to moisten your mouth and cleanse it. When you do not have enough saliva due to dehydration, dead cells can accumulate on your tongue, gums and the inside of your mouth cheeks. These cells begin to decompose and then can cause odor.

Dry mouth is something that normally occurs while you sleep due to the many hours where you do not consume any water. We wake with "morning breath". Those individuals who sleep with their mouth open suffer from dry mouth more than those who keep their mouth closed during sleep. Certain medications can lead to dry mouth as a side effect of the medication. There can also be medical problems with the salivary glands preventing them from producing saliva.

Diseases:

Bad breath can also be caused by chronic lung infections and lung abscesses. Very distinctive breath odor can be signal for certain illnesses. Kidney failure can cause a urine-like odor to your breath, liver failure may cause an odor that smells like fish, and those who have uncontrolled diabetes can have a fruity breath. Individuals who have chronic reflux of stomach acids (GERD) or have a small protrusion of the stomach into the chest cavity (hiatal hernia) can also have bad breath.

Mouth, Nose, Throat Conditions:

Those who suffer from sinus infections and have nasal discharge from their sinuses that drip down the back of the throat can have a bad odor to their breath. Kids who have foreign object stuffed into their noses can have bad breath. Strep throat, tonsillitis and mononucleosis can also cause bad breath. Those who cough up sputum like those with bronchitis and other upper respiratory infections can have bad breath. Canker sores of the mouth can also cause bad breath, especially if periodontal disease also exists.

Tobacco:

Tobacco products cause a very unpleasant stink from the mouth and are also more likely to have periodontal disease, which will also give them bad breath.

Fasting:

Those who diet frequently may also have a "fruity breath" from ketoacidosis, which is the breaking down of chemicals while fasting.