Often times bad breath originates in the mouth.
The back of the tongue is a common place for bacterial plaque and food debris to accumulate.
The top of your tongue is
very rough and bacteria can easily hide in the cracks and crevices. As bacteria
living in your mouth dies, it produces sulfur
compounds that cause foul breath.
Your teeth also attract bacteria containing
plaque, poor or insufficient brushing of your teeth can also result in the
accumulation of bacteria and cause bad breath.
If you suffer from periodontitis (gum disease) you may suffer from bad breath
because of excessive accumulations of bacteria between the teeth and gums.
Other non-oral causes of bad breath-
Infections, especially in the sinuses or lungs.
Often times an upper respiratory illness will bring bad breath.
Diabetes mellitus (acetone smell to the breath)
Kidney failure (can produce a fishy odor)
Malfunction of the liver.
Bad Breath fixes?
If your bad breath is coming from your tongue, try
buying a plastic tongue scraper and carefully cleaning the back of your tongue.
Concentrate on your oral healthcare. Are you flossing correctly and
getting to all the hard to reach areas between your teeth?
Clean your mouth after eating foods rich in
protein.
Drink lots of liquids such as water. Coffee may actually cause bad breath,
monitor your breath after drinking coffee and clean your mouth after drinking
it.
Gargle with a mouthwash right before bedtime. Try
brushing your teeth earlier in the evening so your toothpaste doesn't neutralize
the mouthwash.
Chew gum whenever your mouth gets dry. Look for gums that are specially
formulated to prevent bad breath.
