Halitosis — known as bad breath to most — is an embarrassing condition that can affect anyone at anytime, and is caused by several factors. In most cases bad breath (halitosis) is caused by the presence of oral bacteria. There can be, however, other factors that influence the odor associated with one’s breath and, in fact, the quality of a person’s breath will ultimately depend on a number of different variables.

1. Dry mouth (xerostomia) is a condition that affects the flow of saliva. This causes bacteria to build up in the mouth and this leads to bad breath. Dry mouth may be caused by some medicines, salivary gland problems or by continually breathing through the mouth instead of the nose. Older people may produce less saliva, causing further problems.

2. Gum disease, most certainly, can cause bad breath, because food trapped in gum pockets can rot and ferment, which releases sulfur products, and increases tartar buildup on the teeth, which also traps bacteria that release sulfur products. Most know that smoking causes bad breath, and that heart problems eventually result from the habit, but few realize that smoking causes gum disease, and that gum disease can cause heart problems.

3. Sinus conditions can have an effect on the quality of a person’s breath. Upper respiratory infections and allergies can create postnasal drip that deposits onto the back portion of a person’s tongue (by way of the oral-nasal pathway found in the area of a person’s soft palate). This discharge often has a foul taste and smell. What’s worse, oral bacteria will feed upon this discharge and create their own smelly waste products thus adding to the problems the person is having with bad breath.

4. The food we eat can adversely affect our breath. Odors from garlic, onions, cabbage, and certain spices may result in halitosis when the suspected food is absorbed into the blood tream after digestion. When the blood has transferred to the lungs, the smell from the food is evident when you exhale.

5. Other medical conditions that cause bad breath include infections in the throat, nose or lungs; sinusitis; bronchitis; diabetes; or liver or kidney problems. If your dentist finds that your mouth is healthy, you may be referred to your family GP or a specialist to find out the cause of your bad breath.

6. Dieting can cause bad breath in the form of a hunger odor, a.k.a. “morning breath,” which goes along with the sensation of hunger. Some evidence leads to the conclusion that this odor is a product of the decomposition and rotting of pancreatic juices, which passes into the stomach while the body fasts. The odor worsens if one skips breakfast.

7. Tobacco also causes its own form of bad breath. The only solution in this case is to stop smoking. As well as making your breath smell, smoking causes staining, causes loss of taste and irritates the gums. People who smoke are more likely to suffer from gum disease and also have a greater risk of developing cancer of the mouth, lung cancer and heart disease.

8. With eating comes digestion, another cause of bad breath. Gasses produced during the digestive process may escape through your mouth, emanating the odor it produces. Poor digestion resulting in constipation and disorders of the bowel may contribute to bad breath again, from the gasses that are produced during this process.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/top-8-causes-of-bad-breath-and-symptoms-3480796.html

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