Causes of Chronic Bad Breath
Considering that the industry specific remedies for chronic bad breath are in the billions of dollars, it is easy to see that this problem is quite significant. People all over the world experience this same problem regardless of race, age or lifestyle. For some people, the problem is only minor but for others, chronic bad breath is a lifelong battle.
Although some home remedies and commercial products help, in most cases they only provide temporary relief. Because of this, you need to learn about the various causes so you can avoid certain things or make changes. In this article, we have provided a comprehensive list of potential causes of chronic bad breath that you could use as a reference or guide for getting your problem under control.
- Food Particles – When certain foods are consumed, they break down into small particles during the chewing phase. While brushing helps remove these tiny particles, some become trapped in between the tight spaces of the teeth. When this happens, unless the space for all teeth is carefully flossed the particles remain. With this chronic bad breath develops.
- Volatile Foods – Some foods have natural oils that are volatile. For instance, bell peppers, onions and garlic are notorious for causing bad breath. In most cases, a good brushing and using oral rinse helps but avoiding these foods, especially in large quantities is always best.
- Oral Problems – Another common cause of chronic bad breath has to do with a variety of oral problems. This could be from poor dental hygiene, meaning not enough brushing and flossing. However, along with the teeth and gums being cared for it is essential that the tongue also be cleaned, which can be done with a tongue scraper. In addition, periodontal disease, bacteria buildup in the form of plaque and even infection can all cause bad breath.
- Dry Mouth – Saliva plays a number of important roles. For one thing, saliva makes it possible for food to be swallowed but it also keeps the inside of the mouth moist. When the inside of the mouth becomes dry, cells begin to decompose and as a result, it would be expected for a problem of chronic bad breath to develop. For dry mouth, simply increase fluid intake or chew gum.
- Medication – Some types of medication can also be the culprit when it comes to mild bad breath or chronic Halitosis. Therefore, if you have started taking a new medication followed by the development of bad breath, it would be worth time to conduct online research or talk to your doctor.
- Disease – Certain diseases can also cause chronic bad breath. For instance, some forms of cancer, metabolic disorders, lung infections, abscesses, kidney failure, severe diabetes, reflux disease also called GERD and others can be a problem. Interestingly, each type of disease will produce a different odor, which actually helps dentists and doctors identify the underlying cause of chronic bad breath.
- Nose, Throat, and Mouth Conditions – In small children, a small object lodged in the mouth or throat could cause bad breath or an ongoing sinus problem would lead to the development of a foul odor. Even different types of infection are notorious for the problem of chronic bad breath.
- Alcohol and Tobacco – For obvious reasons, heavy consumption of alcohol or people that use tobacco, whether smoking or chewing would likely have a problem of bad breath or Halitosis.
- Dieting – The last possible cause of chronic bad breath has to do with dieting. In this case, when people are not getting proper nutrition, a condition develops called Ketoacidosis. The result is breath that has a fruity smell but it is definitely unpleasant.
