The principal bad breath cause is associated with bacteria in the mouth. This can flourish when the saliva flow in the mouth is reduced. Lack of saliva means that old food is not washed away, and saliva also helps in neutralizing acids. Saliva also performs the very necessary task of flushing out the mouth, and removing food particles, so any reduction in saliva flow inhibits this action.

Saliva can be reduced for a number of reasons. There are natural causes of this reduction, and other causes related to disease or choices. The flow of saliva reduces naturally as we get older, making us more prone to bad breath. Also when we are dehydrated, the moisture in the mouth reduces naturally. Often when asleep, people will have their mouths open, maybe even snoring, and this will dry out the mouth. This contributes to the “morning breath” syndrome.

Certain diseases and illnesses can similarly contribute to bad breath. Any infection that affects the respiratory tract can be a cause of bad breath, as well as many other diseases.

Dry mouth can also be caused by medications for various problems. The most common is probably the antihistamine, taken to relieve allergies. Some others include high blood pressure and depression medicines. Other things that can be ingested that affect the dryness of the mouth include alcohol and mouthwashes that contain alcohol.

One of the many problems associated with cigarette smoking is dry mouth. For many reasons unrelated to bad breath, it is wise to avoid smoking, as has been documented extensively elsewhere. With a predisposition to bad breath, however, the habit of smoking virtually guarantees that you will suffer from bad breath.

It is no good to think that the bacteria causing bad breath may be generally eliminated, as they are naturally occurring and required for bodily function. They are anaerobic, which means “without oxygen”. As saliva provides oxygen the lack of saliva with a dry mouth makes a more favorable environment for the bacteria to increase, aggravating the bad breath.

The bacteria create sulfurous compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide (the bad egg smell) which are the cause of the smelly breath. The bacteria assist in the digestive process by starting the breakdown of proteins. Thus another cause of bad breath would be a high protein diet, which feeds the bacteria.

So what are the causes of bad breath exactly?

Bad breath, which is usually halitosis, is caused by VSCs (Volatile Sulphur Compounds) in the mouth, these are the most common of the causes of bad breath. But what are they, anyway?

Bacteria in your throat and mouth help to break down certain proteins. When some Amino acids which have a lot of Sulphur inside, start to get broken down and then produce various foul smelling compounds from the back of the mouth and throat.

There is a common misconception that bad breath can come from your stomach, and although it may feel like that sometimes, the smeel comes from the compounds produced your throat and mouth. Some foods however after they have been consumed encourage the production of certain chemicals that are then discharged via the lungs. So that extra helping of deep-fried onion rings is actually making a smell through your lungs.

So how can we avoid these great causes of bad breath?

Well many of the causes of bad breath are things that we take for granted and use everyday. Most toothpastes can be a cause of bad breath because the stuff that makes the foam actually promotes production of VSCs.

A dry tongue can also be a cause of bad breath. The bacteria that produce those nasty SVCs actually don’t like oxygen, so a dry mouth is perfect and hence becomes a cause of bad breath.

The nasty stuff from the bacteria comes from the breakdown of Amino acids, which are found in protein. So high protein foods can be a cause of bad breath, even a generally high protein diet could be one of the causes of bad breath.

Once you have elevated levels of the bacteria in your throat, it becomes very difficult to fight off the bad breath as those bacteria can use anything to be the next trigger for your bad breath. By successfully reducing the amount of bacteria in your throat you can make sure that it becomes that much more difficult to get the bad breath in the first place.

You literally zap the cause of bad breath at its source.

So one of the causes of bad breath are those things that allow the bacteria to produce more SVCs, so avoid or treat these and you will rid yourself of your cause of bad breath. Otherwise hit at the source and reduce those bacteria.