Bad breath plagues just about everyone at one time or another and is devastating for ones social life. Many people have been denied employment, failed in business, social engagements and have been relegated to low social status because of it....

There are four sources of bad breath:
1. The mouth: This includes the teeth, the gums, the top surface (dorsum) of the tongue and particularly the very back of the tongue. Since this type of bad breath is the most common, its diagnosis and treatment will be covered extensively.

2. Including the nasal cavities, sinuses, throat, tonsils and the larynx (voice box). This is the second most common cause of bad breath.

3. The lungs: This could be a temporary issue caused by consumption of certain foods, drugs or a chronic issue caused by a disease.

4. The stomach: : This type of bad breath could be caused by diseases that can cause chronic vomiting. 80% of all bad breath originates from bacterial overgrowth in the mouth.

If you are young, healthy and do not suffer from chronic sinusitis, tonsillitis or laryngitis, chances are that this section is most relevant to you. Sulfur compounds created by bacteria cause bad breath. Anaerobic bacteria grow when there is an absence of oxygen, producing a chemical call Volatile Sulfur Compound (VSC). The odor emitted by VSC is reminiscent of pungent scents such as rotten eggs, cabbage or vegetables.

The anaerobic bacteria metabolize proteins such as dead tissue cells, blood and mucous. Proteins are made from building blocks called amino acids, and the digestion of these amino acids supply the bacteria with energy. Some of the amino acids contain sulfur, and these sulfur compounds are converted to VSC’s as a waste product.

San Deigo General Dentists Dr. Jeffry Kerbs says, "A Healthy mouth will not have a bad smell due to the balance of bacteria flora in the mouth. When conditions in the mouth change due to disease or other factors such as dehydration or the presence of fermentable substances such as blood, dead cells and shreds of food, the balance of bacteria changes, allowing the overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria at the expense of the rest of the normal floral organisms. The bad odor becomes the result."

There are several chronic or temporary conditions that can shift the balance of bacterial flora towards an overgrowth of the bacteria which produce VSC’s: Xerostomia or Dry Mouth. Dry mouth causes dehydration and creates a concentrated mucous coat over the teeth. The most common type of bad breath caused by dry mouth is morning breath, which is a result of breathing through the mouth while sleeping. Sjorgren’s Syndrome, aging and consumption of numerous drugs cause further dry mouth as well. Some drugs actually cause Halitosis (not originating in the mouth). Recovery and operating room personnel can all attest to the incredibly bad breath (originating from the lungs) exhaled by patients recovering from general anasthetic agents after operations.p>

Dentists feel illegal recreational drugs, alcohol, diet changes, tooth decay, poor oral hygiene and gum disease all contribute to bad breath. Individuals who suffer from any of these conditions have the added liability of lifestyle issues which interact with the dry mouth and make the bad breath much worse.

People with high sugar intake, tend to have bad breath, since the sugar sticks to the teeth, harboring bacteria and decaying the teeth. Decay inside a tooth provides an anaerobic environment and is thus a great place to live if you are a sulfur metabolizing germ; this decaying (dead tooth structure) of the tooth, harbors anaerobic bacteria.

Dead things smell bad, and since the decay is fairly soft, it absorbs juices from the foods you eat, and that decays as well. As a result, the first place to start on the road to recovery from bad breath is a visit to the dentist for a check up for decay.

Even without decay, dentists feel if the oral hygiene is poor a film of plaque which is composed of bacteria and food debris, accumulates on and between the teeth. In healthy individuals, this type of bad breath can generally be eliminated simply by brushing and flossing the teeth properly once a day. Flossing is essential since the area between the teeth is more likely to be free of oxygen than any other area of the mouth, and therefore is always a source of bad breath if not kept clean. If you have a problem with bad breath, try smelling a piece of floss after using it to clean between the teeth and see for yourself.

Gums or Perdontium: The periodontium is composed of bone and gums. In its healthy state, the periodontium is not prone to harboring bacteria, and therefore does not contribute to bad breath. However, when the periodontium is diseased due to bad oral hygiene (due to lack of brushing or flossing), bacteria begin to eat away at the attachment of the gums to the tooth, and the bone that holds the tooth starts to get destroyed (periodontal disease). As the bone gets destroyed a space is created between the gums and the bone, called a pocket, more and more food and bacteria and dead stuff accumulates in this space, which provides an oxygen inhibited area, which is a perfect growth area for the anaerobic bacteria. As a result, the gums become red and inflamed, and will bleed.

The anaerobic bacteria digest the blood and necrotic (dead) gum tissues producing lots of VSC’s. Bad breath from periodontal disease is the worst bad breath there is. If you have bad breath, and you are not cleaning between your teeth on a regular basis, then chances are that you are suffering from at least minor periodontal disease. The best way to remove decay is to visit a either a periodontists or a general dentists who is highly trained and is well equipped to handled right kind of treatment