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Bad breath can impact negatively on personal relationships, be it partner, friends or family members. As a rule, whether we like it or not, we experience bad breath every day we wake up in the morning. However, it becomes worrisome when that bad breath persists even after cleaning the mouth. As a dentist, most of my patients that presented with the complaint of bad breath are mostly worried about the impact this might have on their marriage, business opportunities and social interactions.

The anxiety is usually palpable; the sufferer will even avoid situations that will involve face to face contact with people. Some are even used to the age-old practice of cupping their hands over their mouth and take a quick sniff to assess whether they have bad breath.

Stores are full of products offering a variety of scented mouthwashes, mints, chewing gums, and strips. These offer only a temporary measure if the underlying cause of bad breath is not addressed.
Getting rid of bad breath can be easy if the underlying cause can be identified or can be difficult if it’s underlying psychiatric component, a situation described as ‘Halithophobia’ whereby a person is having a feeling that he/she has mouth odour but in reality, there is no bad breath. Identifying the causes of bad breath will definitely give a clue to how to get rid of it.

The following are the causes of bad breath:
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1. Food: The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can increase bacteria and cause a foul odour. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic and spices also can cause bad breath. After you digest these foods, they enter your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs and affect your breath.

2. Tobacco products: Smoking causes its own unpleasant mouth odour. Smokers and oral tobacco users are also more likely to have gum disease, another source of bad breath.

3. Poor dental hygiene: If you don't brush and floss daily, food particles remain in your mouth, causing bad breath. A colourless, sticky film of bacteria (plaque) forms on your teeth. If not brushed away, plaque can irritate your gums and eventually form plaque-filled pockets between your teeth and gums (periodontitis). Your tongue also can trap bacteria that produce odours. Dentures that aren't cleaned regularly can harbour odour-causing bacteria and food particles.
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4. Dry mouth: Saliva helps cleanse your mouth, removing particles that cause bad odours. A condition called dry mouth or xerostomia (zeer–o-STOE-me-uh) can contribute to bad breath because the production of saliva is decreased. Dry mouth naturally occurs during sleep, leading to "morning breath," and it worsens if you sleep with your mouth open. A chronic dry mouth can be caused by a problem with your salivary glands and some diseases.

5. Medications: Some medications can indirectly produce bad breath by contributing to dry mouth. Others can be broken down in the body to release chemicals that can be carried on your breath.

6. Infections in your mouth: Bad breath can be caused by surgical wounds after oral surgery, such as tooth removal, or as a result of tooth decay, gum disease or mouth sores.

7. Other mouth, nose and throat conditions: Bad breath can occasionally stem from small stones that form in the tonsils and are covered with bacteria that produce odour. Infections or chronic inflammation of the nose, sinuses or throat also can cause bad breath.

8. Other causes: Diseases, such as some cancers, and conditions such as metabolic disorders, can cause a distinctive breath odour as a result of chemicals they produce. Bad breath in young children can be caused by a foreign body, such as a piece of food, lodged in a nostril.

For causes related to oral health, your dentist will work with you to help you better control that condition. Dental measures may include:

1. Mouth rinses and toothpastes : If the bad breath is build-up of bacteria (plaque) on your teeth, your dentist may recommend a mouth rinse that kills the bacteria. Your dentist may also recommend toothpaste that contains an antibacterial agent to kill the bacteria that cause plaque build up.

2. Treatment of dental disease. If you have gum disease, you may be referred to a gum specialist (periodontist). Gum disease can cause gums to pull away from your teeth, leaving deep pockets that fill with odour-causing bacteria. Sometimes only professional cleaning removes these bacteria.

Generally, If you want to prevent or reduce mouth odour, do the following:

1. Brush your teeth after you eat. Brush using a fluoride-containing toothpaste at least twice a day, especially after meals. Toothpaste with antibacterial properties has been shown to reduce bad breath odors.

2. Floss at least once a day. Proper flossing removes food particles and plaque from between your teeth, helping to control bad breath.

3. Brush your tongue. Your tongue harbours bacteria, so carefully brushing it may reduce odours. People who have a coated tongue from a significant overgrowth of bacteria (from smoking or dry mouth, for example) may benefit from using a tongue scraper, Or use a toothbrush that has a built-in tongue cleaner.

4. Clean dentures or dental appliances. If you wear a bridge or a denture, clean it thoroughly at least once a day or as directed by your dentist. If you have a dental retainer or mouth guard, clean it each time before you put it in your mouth. Your dentist can recommend the best cleaning product.

5. Avoid dry mouth. To keep your mouth moist, avoid tobacco and drink plenty of water — not coffee, soft drinks or alcohol, which can lead to a drier mouth. Chew gum or suck on candy (preferably sugarless) to stimulate saliva. For chronic dry mouth, your dentist or physician may prescribe an artificial saliva preparation or an oral medication that stimulates the flow of saliva.

6. Adjust your diet. Avoid foods such as onions and garlic that can cause bad breath. Eating a lot of sugary foods is also linked with bad breath.

7. Regularly get a new toothbrush. Change your toothbrush when it becomes frayed, about every three to four months, and choose a soft-bristled toothbrush.

8. Schedule regular dental checkups. See your dentist on a regular basis — generally twice a year — to have your teeth or dentures examined and cleaned.

Source: http://www.hotproforum.com/topic756.html?sid=d11ceff35ca12164d03f3243ab3fc4fb

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