It really should not be very complicated but bad breath prevention seems like something very few of us have a real handle upon. Perhaps it is because no one wants to talk about their bad breath problem with their dentist-the one person that probably knows best how to prevent/treat the issue. Then again, there is precious little mention of the common condition within the public education system as you will rarely, if ever, hear about the topic in health class. Whatever the case may be, the fact remains that ignorance of the true causes of bad breath make both prevention and treatment very difficult which is probably why millions of people suffer with halitosis and self-medicate with mints and other questionable remedies.

 

Bad breath cures are not universal because there are a number of factors that may be causing the problem in the first place, including:

• Xerostemia (dry mouth)-saliva helps to naturally prevent bad breath problems because it helps to control and fight the oral bacteria normally responsible for the condition. Low salivation rates lead to higher populations of oral bacteria and increased problems when trying to prevent bad breath from occurring.
• Inadequate oral hygiene-not only does oral hygiene help keep the population of bacteria under control, it removes the food particles that they feed upon. If you decrease the availability of food, then the population of bacteria naturally decreases along with the bad breath. Plus, because the tongue is a haven for these odor-producing bacteria (actually, the odor associated with a bad breath problem is actually caused by the waste from these microbes), it is necessary to brush the tongue in order to remove the plaque where the microorganisms love to breed.
• Mouth, Throat, or Tooth Infection-yes, disease does smell when you get down to it and anytime that you have an infection in or even near the oral cavity, bad breath is a likely symptom.
• Acid Reflux-this form of bad breath is not actually caused by bacteria but instead a malfunctioning valve in the throat that permits stomach bile and contents to be thrust into the oral cavity, leading to a rather acidic form of halitosis. If it remains untreated, chronic acid reflux will cause the enamel on teeth to be destroyed and lead to higher rates of tooth decay-and thus, bad breath!

 

While acid reflux and infections are potential sources of halitosis, they do not cause problems in the vast majority of cases. In fact, nearly 9 out of 10 people have bad breath problems due to the oral bacteria in your mouth. By encouraging salivation and making sure to practice good oral hygiene, you can pretty much cure bad breath problems on your own without needing to consult with a physician or dentist. Once you have a better understanding of the causes, bad breath prevention is actually very simple and inexpensive.