Causes of Bad Breath and significance:

General
, , , ,
1

Bad breath also known as Halitosis, is not only related to mouth problems.
Causes are broadly divided into:

  1. Oral causes 2. Extra oral causes

Oral causes:

  • Poor oral hygiene – Plaque, food debris, and bacteria buildup.
  • Gum disease – Gingivitis or periodontitis
  • Tongue coating – Especially the back of the tongue
  • Dental caries – Tooth decay
  • Dry mouth (xerostomia) – Reduced saliva flow
  • Oral infections – Abscesses, ulcers
  • Smoking and tobacco use.

Extraoral causes

  • Sinusitis – Postnasal drip
  • Tonsillitis - Especially tonsil stones
  • Nasal polyps
  • Fasting or keto diet – Ketone breath
  • Diabetes (ketoacidosis) – Fruity/sweet smell
  • Liver failure – Musty or “rotten egg” breath (foetor hepaticus)
  • Kidney failure – Ammonia-like or urine smell
  • GI diseases – GERD, H. pylori infection, bowel obstruction

**It is very important to identify the root cause of the bad breath to treat effectively.

2 Likes
2

Yes… regular scaling and polishing can help, too.

3

Tongue scraping and good dental hygiene is important. Sometimes fasting can also give you, bad breath. Chug some water, or keep a mint in your mouth.

4

Insightful!

5

It was a useful post.
Flossing once and brushing twice can help in maintaining oral hygiene.

6

Useful Information . Thanks for sharing it.