Bad Breath - Some Facts For You

If you have ever noticed people putting space between you and them while you are talking, consider that the problem could be bad breath, also known as halitosis. Halitosis can be repugnant to those near you and unfortunately you may suffer from this embarrassing condition. It is also common for many people.

Bad breath can be brought on by numerous different causes, ranging from chronic problems to short term issues. What factors cause bad breath? Consuming certain foods is a key cause of short term foul smelling breath. Garlic is a widely popular food, which can cause this problem when it is over used.

Bad breath can be brought on by garlic long after you have finished consuming it, due to the fact that the active components in garlic are absorbed into your blood stream. They are then expelled into the air by your lungs, when you exhale.

Thankfully, the bad smell of garlic breath diminishes over the course of a few hours, uncovering the smell of your normal breath. In the meantime, you can brush and floss to cover the smell to some degree, but until the bad smell ceases to emanate from your body, you will continue to reek of garlic.

Bad breath may also be caused by smoking, which leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth as well as fouling the air exhaled from the lungs. Besides being a leading cause of bad breath, smoking also has other unwanted side affects. It affects oral cleanliness and can sometimes lead to gum disease. There is no way to prevent these side effects other than to stop smoking.

The accumulation of plaque on teeth provides a breeding ground for bacteria on food caught between the gums and the teeth, causing consistently bad breath. Regular flossing and brushing is very important, but a thorough cleaning by a dentist is necessary to remove the plaque and the cause of the foul breath.

Another known cause for this condition is dry mouth. Various allergic reactions may cause dry mouth. Dry mouth may also be caused by some asthma and bronchitis medications and inhalers. This is because the medicines impact the creation of saliva, decreasing the amount of saliva produced. This causes dry mouth. Various cures exist for dry mouth, and the subsequent problem of bad breath. Appropriate treatments are available to avoid bad breath situations.

If you've noticed that people step back from you as you speak, you may have bad breath. The causes can be chronic, such as accumulation of plaque between your teeth and gums; which may require a trip to the dentist for proper cleaning. Or, it may be caused by something short term, such as eating garlic; which will clear up in time. Smoking, however, can cause short and long term odor problems. Halitosis (another name for this odor) can also be from "dry mouth", a condition often caused from allergic reactions or as a side effect of medications. Treatments include: brushing and gargling, stopping smoking, changing medications, dental cleanings.