Many people who smell from the mouth, believe bad breath is simply fate. However, it is often very easy to do something against the bad odors. However, it is important to first find the cause of bad breath. What you can do to eliminate the causes and how to successfully get rid of bad breath, you will learn here.
Causes: How does bad breath develop?
Bad breath is also called halitosis or foetor ex ore in technical language. Foetor ex ore is the “classic” bad breath, which is only perceived when exhaling or when the mouth is open. In the rarer form of halitosis, the bad odor is also perceived when exhaling through the nose. Only in the rarest cases is the stomach the cause of halitosis. Most often, it is rotting processes in the mouth, which can be easily controlled with good oral hygiene. More rarely, various diseases can also trigger bad breath.
Bad breath caused by bacteria
In 80 to 90 percent of all cases, bad breath is caused by bacteria in the oral cavity. These nest primarily in interdental spaces, gum pockets and in furrows on the back of the tongue. Here the germs find optimal conditions to multiply: Warmth, moisture, protection from toothbrush heads and mouthwashes. The bacteria live on food residues and exfoliated mucosal cells, producing sulfur compounds and other gases that often smell like rotten eggs. These are mainly responsible for foul breath. Sulfurous compounds are mainly produced during the breakdown of protein. Therefore, protein-rich foods such as fish and dairy products can promote bad breath. Other foods, such as garlic, or even smoking can also trigger short-term bad breath – but this is not a medical problem. An excessively dry oral mucosa also promotes bad breath. Reduced saliva production during the night explains the unpleasant taste in the morning. Snoring and sleeping with an open mouth additionally dry out the mucous membranes.
Diseases are less often the cause of bad breath
Only rarely are diseases actually responsible for bad breath:
- Inflammation in the respiratory tract, for example, tonsillitis or inflammation of the sinuses.
- Tonsil stones are also often the trigger of bad breath. These, among other things, from food pulp arising coatings on the tonsils can usually be removed with simple home remedies themselves.
- Diseases of the stomach and esophagus can also cause bad breath. With gastritis, the breath can smell sour. The gastric mucosa is then inflammatory changes. Heartburn is also a common trigger of bad breath. Esophagitis or a hiatal hernia can also be associated with bad breath.
- Diseases of the teeth or in the oral cavity, such as caries or periodontitis, can be accompanied by bad breath. Painful teeth indicate these diseases. Another common trigger for bad breath are fungal diseases, such as oral thrush.
- Diseases of the liver or kidneys can also cause bad breath. Typically, the breath smells sweet when liver disease, and when the kidneys are dysfunctional, the breath smells like urine. Other symptoms include nausea, fatigue and confusion.
- If the breath smells like nail polish remover after acetone, poorly controlled or unrecognized diabetes mellitus may be the cause. This smell is also typical of people who are on a strict diet or fasting. The body then lacks carbohydrates to convert fats into sugar. Ketone bodies are formed, which are noticeable in the breath as acetone odor.
- In women, the female cycle also plays a role. On the day of ovulation, women are measured two to four times higher levels of volatile sulfur compounds than on other days.
Find the cause of bad breath
But how to find out the cause? The first step should lead to the dentist. He checks the gums and the condition of fillings and crowns. Because often caries, inflamed gums or remnants of tooth roots that are slowly rotting in the jaw are to blame for bad breath. If the examination is inconclusive, step two is recommended: a visit to an ear, nose and throat specialist. He or she will examine the nose, sinuses and throat.If the ENT specialist also finds nothing, an internal examination may be necessary to rule out gastrointestinal diseases or diabetes mellitus. A specialist in pulmonary diseases can also detect diseases of the respiratory tract and lungs. Bad breath: What to do? 14 tips!
Get rid of bad breath: Intensive oral hygiene
Once the cause is known, bad breath can usually be eliminated easily. Careful oral hygiene can quickly be successful. Likewise, bad breath can be effectively prevented with these measures:
- Brush the teeth after every meal to deprive the bacteria of the basis of life. Clean the interdental spaces once a day with dental floss or an interdental brush / interdental brush (pharmacy).
- Remove tongue plaque in the morning and evening with a toothbrush or with a special tongue cleaner. Replace the toothbrush or cleaner after two months at the latest. Whether, in addition to removing plaque, tongue cleaning also reduces the number of bacteria is controversial.
- After consultation with the dentist, it may be useful to use a disinfectant mouth rinse. Appropriate preparations from the pharmacy, for example, with the active ingredient chlorhexidine, inhibit bacterial growth and act against inflammation. However, mouth rinses with chlorhexidine solutions are only useful temporarily, as they have side effects with long-term use. In addition, mouthwashes are only partially effective when tongue coatings trigger bad breath.
Proven home remedies for bad breath
Complementary to this, for example, chewing sage leaves, parsley, ginger or drinking black tea can help. In addition, chlorophyll, the substance that gives leaves their green color, is said to neutralize strong odors in the form of dragées or tablets. The leafy green reduces the activity of protein-splitting enzymes. And: spoon a yogurt with active bacteria such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus every day. These special yogurt cultures are thought to keep the spread of putrefactive bacteria at bay. Chewing gum and pastilles with peppermint only mask bad breath for a short time, but promote saliva production. Avoiding certain foods or adjusting eating habits can also prevent bad breath. The remedy should be selected depending on the cause.
Bad breath consultation
From America comes the idea of halitosis consultation hours, which are now also increasingly established in Germany. Here, halitosis specialists and dentists work closely together. A detailed patient interview is followed by an examination of the oral cavity. A special device, the halimeter, can be used to determine the concentration of sulfur compounds in the breath. This method provides information as to whether bacteria in the oral cavity are the source of the problem. Treatment is based on the results of the examination. If necessary, the patient will be referred to a specialist. Check with your health insurance provider to see if the cost of visiting a bad breath consultation is covered.
