What Could Be Causing Your Bad Breath?

Everyone at one time in their lives have had bad breath as well as having been the victim of someone else's halitosis during a conversation. Some people may not even be aware they have bad breath, especially if they regularly brush and floss their teeth. Frequently it's not until someone is bold enough to inform them of their less than stellar breath that they are aware. This can be quite embarrassing to the person with the offensive breath.

Most times people think that bad breath is because of a lack of, or ineffective oral hygiene. However, there are many causes of bad breath in adults. Everything from eating onions, stinky cheeses, or other strong smelling foods, to gum disease or even some stomach problems can cause bad breath.

if you think that by brushing your teeth three times a day after every meal will be enough to get rid of bad breath, you couldn't be more wrong. Not only do you need to both brush and floss your teeth, but you need to brush and/or scrape your tongue daily as well.

Bacteria from foods and drink and even from post-nasal drip, can often times adhere themselves to the surface of the tongue and gums and work its way into crevices of your tongue. By allowing this bacteria to fester, it begins to grow toxins that cause bad breath. Brushing and/or scraping your tongue each time you brush your teeth can effectively remove 99% of this bacteria.

If you have tried all the methods mentioned above and still suffer from bad breath, you may have one of a number of health conditions that are known to be causes of bad breath in adults. Your first step should be to visit your dentist to check for gum diseases as well as any other oral conditions that may contribute to your bad breath.

If nothing is found there, a visit to your primary care physician to check for any internal problems is called for. If still nothing is found, taking a look at the foods you eat would be a great place to start next. And as always, maintaining good oral hygiene is always your first line of defense against bad breath.