What Causes Bad Breath ?

There are many causes of bad breath and for many it’s main cause is the prescence of mouth bacteria that thrive in the mouth. These oral bacteria feed on the food particles in our mouth and produce a sulfurous by product which delivers one of the smells associated with bad breath.

This nasty smell which has been likened to the smell of rotten eggs is emitted by hydrogen sulfide and is one of the sulfur compounds responsible for your bad breath. Another sulfur compound, methyl mercaptan is responsible for the foul smell in barnyards. In simple terms both of these volatile sulfur compounds are for most people the major cause of their bad breath.

Aside from volatile sulfur compounds, plaque from poor brushing can build up in the mouth and promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria. The presence of plaque provides an ideal growing environment for anaerobic bacteria because the places where they grow become devoid of oxygen.

High protein foods like eggs, meat, fish, and certain dairy products are also causes of bad breath. This is because the bacteria in the mouth loves feeding on proteins, so when we eat these high protein foods we’re actually giving these bacteria more food to eat. Fuel for the fire has never been so true, and many of us who try to eat healthy or partake in weight training maybe prone to bad breath when we go on high protein diets.

Bacteria that live on the tongue are another cause of bad breath. Most of the bacteria grow on the tongue’s back portion, which is the part that produces most of the bad breath. The grooves or furrows found in the tongue allow the bacteria to grow and multiply extremely quickly, which is why a tongue scraper is always a great idea.

Other bacteria that contribute to bad breath are the ones found below the gum line. You will notice that when you floss, you sometimes touch parts under your gums that give off a bad smell. These hard to reach places unless cleaned regularly by flossing are great places for bad breath bacteria to hide. In fact the gum line offers the perfect environment for anaerobic bacteria to grow and multiply thanks to the lack of oxygen.

Now that you understand the how bad breath is developed why don’t you check out some of our other articles giving you ideas and tips on how to combat it.