Mouth odor, also known as halitosis, is a condition in which you have an unpleasant or unique smell to your breath. Though mouth odor is not a life-threatening health condition, it can be quite embarrassing. Here are some of the causes of bad breath:
Poor oral hygiene
- When you do not brush and floss your teeth on a daily basis, bacteria can accumulate in your mouth and release a compound that causes a foul smelling odor.
Foods, including garlic and onions
- Certain foods have aromatic oils that are absorbed into your bloodstream, then carried off to your lungs, and finally exhaled through your mouth. The smell from the food will go away when the food has been excreted from your body.
Smoking products with tobacco
- Chemicals in the tobacco that you smoke are absorbed into your bloodstream, then carried to your lungs, and finally exhaled through your mouth.
Gum disease
- Gum disease occurs when your mouth is overfilled with bacteria that can release chemicals, which not only damage your gums and teeth but also result in a foul smelling odor.
Dry mouth
- Dry mouth occurs when you have very little to no saliva in your mouth. Without saliva, the bits and pieces of leftover food particles stuck in between your teeth and the dead cells commonly found in your mouth may not get washed away. This then provides an ideal environment for bacteria to flourish in your mouth and release compounds that result in bad breath.
Gastro-esophageal disease or GERD occurs when stomach acid goes back up from the stomach to the esophagus and then to the mouth.
- Sinus infection
- Diabetes
- Kidney failure
- Liver failure
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