Halitosis - Causes and Cures Pt. 1

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Halitosis, or bad breath, can be a harmless after effect of what you've eaten or a sign of underlying disease. There are many reasons for this condition, and it's estimated that about 25 percent of Americans suffer from chronic bad breath problems. There are several simple, easy ways to relieve chronic bad breath, but there are also potential underlying medical problems that could be causing the problems too.

If you eat a lot of meat or high protein meals, you're more likely to have bad breath than someone who eats a lot of vegetables. This is because food bits get stuck in your teeth as you eat, and those bits can start rotting over time. Proteins and meats have a much worse smell to them as they're rotting.

Likewise, anyone who eats a very low carbohydrate diet will suffer from bad breath too. This is because as your body starts burning fat instead of carbs, ketones are released by the liver, and these have a specific smell to them. Many low carbohydrate dieters report having a metallic taste in their mouth when their bodies are burning the most fat. This process is known as ketosis, which is not harmful or dangerous.

Halitosis could indicate chronic bronchitis or sinusitis, postnasal drip, gastrointestinal illness, and liver or kidney disease. Diabetics can have a dangerous condition--ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is when the blood PH becomes dangerously acidic from having too much sugar in the blood stream. This condition can also cause bad breath, and diabetes is one of the more serious reasons people can have chronic bad breath problems.

For most people, bad breath is simply caused by the presence of germs and bacteria which live on the back of their tongue. Simple oral hygeine such as brushing your teeth regularly, cleaning your tongue, flossing well, and using antibacterial mouthwash can help.

Sometimes bad breath can be caused by a lack of saliva. When your mouth is dry, it can smell very badly. An easy remedy for bad breath caused by dryness is to simply drink plenty of water. In a pinch though, chewing sugar free gum or sucking on mints can help stimulate saliva production and reduce the bad breath odors.

The dry mouth cause is important to know about because many people use mouthwash which has alcohol in it. Alcohol can dry your mouth further, thus increasing the bad breath problems.

There are many herbs which can neutralize bad breath though. These include parsley or any other herb which is high in chlorophyll. green tea will also do the trick, as will cinnamon, or fennel.