The Surprising #1 Cause Of Bad Breath

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.