Search:

Bad Breath, Halitosis. What Causes It?

What is the main reason for bad breath? Well, according to clinical studies, all that build-up of bacteria on the tongue is to blame. Not only bad breath, but also other maladies of the mouth, even gum disease, have been shown to be somewhat linked to those odour-causing bacteria.

Especially during sleep, the tongue is coated with a plaque film of bacteria and other odour causing compounds. The texture of the tongue is very conducive to housing this unwanted bacteria, which is why, fresh breath is difficult to maintain, even after brushing your teeth.

You won't remove the film of plaque by brushing your tongue with your toothbrush, you will only stir it up.

The American Dental Association News recently reported that halitosis experts agree that the dominant cause of bad breath is the bacteria on the tongue.

"When saliva collects in the mouth - particularly in depressions at the back of the tongue - and is digested by oral bacteria, powerful odours can result." -- Time Life, The Medical Advisor, Bad Breath, Causes

The bacteria release odorous by-products (known as Volatile Sulphur Compounds, or VSCs similar to the gasses released by a rotten egg) as they thrive on the tongue. These "stinkers" also arise from active gum disease. In fact, according to recent research, VSCs may even be the first factor in initiating gum disease.

We know that the volatile sulphur compounds are the main factors in bad breath. Having said that, the bacteria living in our mouths also create other disgusting wastes. The most obvious of these are:

Cadaverine - smells like a dead body

Putrescine - foul meat-decaying and rotting odours

Skatole - the characteristic smell of human faecal matter

Isovaleric acid - this is the typical smell of sweaty feet

Most people are surprised to discover that this wonderful mix of compounds emanates from the mouths of humans, and no one is an exception. Everyone has some level of these unpleasant compounds in their breath.

Normally, we can't even detect these compounds with our noses because the levels are usually very low. But when they increase beyond a certain level, other people can pick them up, and that's when we are said to have "bad breath."

The tongue is a rough surface that provides the bacteria with plenty of hiding places. When we eat, debris left over from food and the normal mucus productions combine to build the "coating" on our tongues. This coating provides the bacteria with a "safe" hiding place.

Why is it safe? Because the bacteria are anaerobic, that is, oxygen is lethal to them. So the bacteria, hidden in the safety of the tongues coating, do their "dirty work" releasing odorous gasses in the process.

This is the primary cause of bad breath, or halitosis. It also leads to increased risk of decay (especially root surface decay), and a decreased sense of taste. There are no shortcuts or magic pills - cleanliness is the solution.