Potential Causes Of Bad Breath And Ways To Help Cure Bad Breath

Bad breath can be caused by any number of things, but the main cause is the presence of bacteria in the mouth.

Stomach, intestinal and bowel problems may also be a factor in causing bad breath, as may be sinus and throat infections. And not to be forgotten is bad breath as a result of tobacco and alcohol use!

On this hub I will highlight some of the potential causes and remedies for bad breath, but, if you have followed the ideas on this page and you still have a problem with bad breath then it would be advisable to book an appointment with your doctor as bad breath could also be the sign of potentially more serious medical condition such as diabetes, duodenal ulcers, kidney or liver problems, and respiratory disorders.

It may seem like I am stating the obvious but the first thing to do if you have a problem with bad breath is visit your Dentist!

If you have any unknown dental problems they can often be the cause of bad breath.

It sounds scary but you may have infected areas, abscesses or bad teeth and these problems can all hide vast amounts of bacteria.

Other areas where bacteria can be present are gaps between our teeth, food we have eaten can easily get trapped here and left to decay.

Getting these problems sorted at the dentist should be your first step to get rid of bad breath.

Did you know that the foods that you eat can also be a potential cause of bad breath?

Although they may taste great at the time, some foods, like garlic, onions and certain spices are candidates for causing bad breath.

Low-carb diets are popular these days and although they may do wonders for your waistline, you might not be able to say the same for your breath! Without going into it too deeply, bad breath when you are following a low-carb diet is often caused by chemicals called ketones that are released in the breath as the body burns fat.

A milk intolerance could also be the cause of bad breath. If you think that this could be the cause of your bad breath problem eliminate all dairy products from your diet to see if they are the culprit.

Drinks such as coffee and tea are very acidic and can be other possible sources of bad breath. Try to cut back on these and see if it improves matters.

Foods with a particularly strong odour such as Garlic, onions and some exotic spices are common sources of problems for lots people. As these foods are digested certain compounds are transmitted from the blood through the lungs and can be exhaled for up to 24 hours afterwards.

Eat more fruits, especially those such as kiwi, papaya and pineapple, which contain digestive enzymes. Vegetables are very important, too, remember the 5 a day guidelines and try to fit them all in.

Poor digestion, constipation, or bowel disorders can create gas which may exit via the mouth.

If you don't have enough hydrochloric acid in your stomach you may well suffer from poor digestion which means that undigested food can pass into the intestines where it will putrefy and give out a nasty gas which rises up and causes bad breath.

This problem is quite common with older people who don't produce enough hydrochloric acid naturally to aid the digestion process.

Drinking alcohol can cause digestive problems which leads to bad breath. In addition, alcohol dries out the mouth, which reduces saliva production.

Try to cut down on your alcohol consumption to see if this will help to eliminate your bad breath.

You may not think it but stress can affect your digestive system and may be another potential cause of bad breath.

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There are some changes that you could make in an attempt to cure your bad breath problem.

By making certain changes and following a program you may be able to determine the cause of your bad breath and cure the problem.

You could try this regime over a few weeks to see what works on your bad breath problem.

I will start with the obvious, and you probably do this already but, practicing good oral hygiene is always important and the first thing that you should be doing, so we need to start out with that.

Brushing your teeth, then flossing, and cleaning your gums, followed by rinsing your mouth thoroughly, will help minimize the problem of bad breath by removing the build up of bacteria.

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The tongue is home to tons of bacteria which feed on the remnants of things you eat. This is one of the causes of bad breath!

Cleaning your tongue ensures that you get rid of that bacteria which may be causing your bad breath.

Cleaning your tongue takes a bit of getting used to but it certainly helps.

You can clean your tongue using either your toothbrush or a purpose made Tongue Scraper and you should do this at least twice a day when you brush your teeth.

• Taking a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar just before each meal is said aid your digestion which helps to combat bad breath.

• Taking 5 gm. daily of Activated Charcoal is said to cleanse the stomach and intestines. Charcoal absorbs toxins and is a natural purifier therefore may have a beneficial effect on your bad breath problem.

• We know that dehydration leads to constipation and digestive problems, general health guidelines suggest that we drink between 6 and 8 glasses of water a day. So, drink more water and see if this helps with your bad breath problem.

• Gargling with salt water helps to reduce bacteria, mucus and food particles on your tonsils or the back of your throat that may be causing your bad breath.

Mouthwashes can be good, I always have a bottle in the bathroom, a good mouthwash will usually quickly freshen your breath, but they do tend to mask the problem for a short period of time. It really is important that you get to the root of the problem.

Ideally you should gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash which has as little alcohol in it as possible, because alcohol will only make the problem worse!