If you constantly feel like you have snot, mucous or phlegm dripping down from the back of your nose combined with a pretty bad case of rotten breath, you may well be suffering from a condition known as Post Nasal Drip.

Post Nasal Drip occurs when excess mucous is produced by your sinuses and accumulates at the back of your nose or throat.

The exact causes of Post Nasal Drip vary from person to person and include allergies, certain medications, colds and flu, pregnancy and other hormonal changes, smoking, rhinitis (i.e. inflammation of the nose or its mucous membrane) and sinusitis (i.e. inflammation of the sinuses).

But What’s The Link Between Halitosis And Post Nasal Drip?

You may be surprised to learn, but the vast majority of bad breath cases are actually caused by bacteria that we all have in our mouths.

Under certain conditions, these bacteria break down the proteins found in the accumulated mucous. When they do, they give off sulphur compounds known as Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC’s).

Normally the smell given off by these sulphur compounds is relatively unnoticeable, but because Post Nasal Drip causes such an excess of mucous an unusually high amount of VSC’s are given off, resulting in a nasty case of halitosis.

So What’s The Best Way To Get Rid Of Halitosis And Post Nasal Drip?

Nowadays there are lots of different decongestants and antihistamines that you can buy over the pharmacy counter which claim to be able to ‘dry up’ Post Nasal Drip.

However, many medical experts believe that such products should only be used in the short term as use for prolonged periods of time can result in dependency on them, as well as your body building up a resistance to them.

Instead, many people are now heralding nasal irrigators as one of the best ways to get rid of Post Nasal Drip. A drug-free method of treatment, nasal irrigators typically work by gently flushing excess mucous from your sinuses.

Nowadays, Post Nasal Drip certainly doesn’t have to be an ongoing or reoccurring problem and hopefully you should find a suitable treatment which can alleviate your own situation.

If, however, tests have ruled out Post Nasal Drip and you still have bad breath, you may need to consider the other different factors which can cause halitosis in order to get your breath back on track.

The American Academy of Periodontology states that a common misconception among many people is that bad breath is caused by the foods you eat.

Sure, your breath is never going to smell grand after a spicy curry or a nice big dose of garlic-laced foods, but foods are not the number one enemy when it comes to keeping your mouth smelling sweet.

Nor too are serious medical conditions. You may find it reassuring to hear that only a very small percentage of cases of halitosis are caused by problems with parts of the body such as the intestines or stomach.

Believe it or not, the main cause of bad breath is actually important bacteria that we all have – and need – in our mouths.

In fact, some dental research studies estimate that these bacteria account for over 90% of all bad breath cases.

But What’s The Link Between These Bacteria And Bad Breath?

In regular amounts these bacteria play a vital role in your body’s digestive processes by breaking down the proteins found in the foods you eat. When they come into contact with certain amino acids found in protein they give off sulphur compounds known as Volatile Sulphur Compounds.

Now, normally the smell given off by these compounds is relatively unnoticeable, but when the bacteria are present in unusually large amounts, your breath can quickly turn rancid and rotten.

So Why Do Some People Have More of These Bacteria Than Others?

Well, there are certain factors that can aggravate these bacteria and cause them to multiply to the levels that can cause bad breath.

These include eating certain types of food, particularly those high in protein. Or drinking certain drinks, especially those containing caffeine or alcohol.

As well as making changes to your diet, there are other things that can help prevent you stimulating these bacteria such as learning to clean your teeth and mouth in the correct manner.

So, if tests have ruled out any significant medical issues and your bad breath still remains, then it’s highly likely that it’s caused by these bacteria. But this need not be a bad thing as many dental experts believe that the key to curing bad breath effectively is understanding exactly what causes it to occur in the first place.