Causes of halitosis

Halitosis

Halitosis is a medical term which refers to the bad breath. It is a common condition which is not considered to be serious, but is can be bothersome, embarrassing and it can affect your self-esteem. Sometimes people can tell on their own if they have bad breath but is case you are wondering what the odor of your breath is you can perform a simple test. You should lick the skin at the back of your wrist and after a few moments smell it.

Simple Causes

There are a number of things which can cause bad breath. In many cases, bad breath is just temporary condition after eating certain food, such as garlic, fish, cheese or onions. Bad breath will go away on its own after a while. If you have not cleaned your mouth properly, bacteria will develop in your mouth which will cause bad breath after some time. If you drink alcohol, your breath can have foul odor for the whole day. People who smoke also have bad breath. Smoking can lead to tooth decay and problems with gums as well. Another cause for bad breath is dentures which are not appropriately cleaned. If your bad breath was a consequence of any of these causes, you can easily deal with it. Just brush your teeth and dentures regularly and thoroughly.

Dental Causes

A lot of cases of halitosis are caused by some problems in the mouth. Common conditions which affect the teeth, such as tooth decay and plaque can cause bad breath. Problems with gums are also common causes of bad breath. You gums can be affected by various diseases, such as gingivitis or periodontitis. If your mouth is dry due to decreased amount of produced saliva, food debris will not be properly removed. Food particles will cause bad breath if you do not clean your teeth in time. Any kind of mouth infection or condition can also cause bad breath. These problems are common, but they require special treatment and visit to the dentist.

Medical Causes

The source of bad breath does not have to be in the mouth at all. You breath can be foul due to some other disorders in the body. Infections of the nose, sinuses, throat or tonsils are also quite common causes of halitosis. Even some lung diseases can be the triggers of bad breath. If your metabolism is impaired because of liver disorder, you can have bad breath. Stomach disorders, diabetes or kidney failure are also causes of bad breath. In these cases treatment of the underlying problem is more important. After the cause is treated, bad breath should go away.