Dry Mouth and Bad Breath

Is there a link between a dry mouth and bad breath? A number of problems are associated with a decrease of saliva in the mouth and halitosis is one of them. Others include tooth decay, mouth sores, and infections. An obvious reason is that saliva keeps the mouth tissues moist—drying causes them to break down and be more susceptible to injury and infection. However, saliva also contains a variety of substances that protect against infection and support a balance of normal healthy bacteria in the oral cavity.

A lack of saliva and bad breath go together because, in most cases, it’s an abnormal overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth that leads to bad breath. These are anaerobic bacteria, strains that are normally present in low numbers but which multiply in certain circumstances—when something upsets the normal balance and gives them an opportunity. Anaerobes produce sulfur compounds as they grow and multiply—the compounds that smell bad on your breath. When you have dry mouth and bad breath, the two are probably connected. The anaerobes are taking advantage of an unhealthy situation in your mouth.

A number of things can lead to dry mouth and bad breath. Among the common causes are mouth breathing (usually due to sinus congestion), alcohol, smoking, and dehydration. Less commonly, certain diseases result in a reduction of saliva and bad breath as a consequence. Finally, a number of drugs, as well as chemotherapy and radiation for cancer are known causes. Some of these will clear up on their own in time. For others, some kind of treatment may be necessary.

To deal with a simple case of dry mouth and bad breath, try to avoid breathing through the mouth, drink lots of fluids, avoid alcohol and tobacco, and choose moist foods. Practice careful oral hygiene with particular attention to your teeth: remember that reduced saliva and bad breath can be accompanied by dental problems. Certain over the counter medications and oral health products can also help with dry mouth problems. Some of them are aimed at decreasing the number of anaerobes living in the mouth, either by killing them off or physically removing them—an approach for dealing specifically with the bad breath issue.

For more complicated cases of dry mouth and bad breath, those where other health problems are involved, it’s best to consult your doctor and discuss your options: some prescription medications and other medical treatments are available to alleviate the symptoms and the discomfort.

Halitophobia

What is halitophobia? Literally, it is a fear of halitosis: a fear of having bad breath that others will find offensive. And when you think about it, just about all of us have this fear to a certain extent. How comfortable are you speaking directly to someone who is close enough to gat a good whiff of your breath as soon as you open your mouth? How often do you buy breath mints or use mouthwash? How often do you notice someone else’s halitosis and resolve to step up your own oral hygiene? Nobody wants bad breath.

Some of us go beyond a mild concern about bad breath and develop what is called delusional halitosis, the mistaken belief that we have bad breath when actually we do not. In its most extreme form, this belief can cause people to go to unusual and possibly harmful lengths to cure their imaginary halitosis. They may also become reclusive, avoiding the company of others, and suffer social isolation. In these cases, the problem is halitophobia, not bad breath itself, but it can be just as damaging as the real thing. Both conditions should be taken seriously.

So it’s normal to suffer from a slight degree of halitophobia. For most of us, a regular routine of oral hygiene and professional dental care, combined with silence about the state of our breath from family and friends, is enough to assure us that all is well. However, if you find yourself worrying excessively, maybe even slipping in a mild form of delusional halitosis, take some steps to determine the truth of the matter. Get an objective opinion: make an appointment with your family doctor for a health checkup if you haven’t done that in a while, and include your breath in the conversation. Have a dental checkup as well and ask your dentist for a professional opinion of your breath and oral health. Ask your spouse, a close family member, or a good friend for an honest appraisal of your breath odor. And believe what these people tell you – if they don’t detect any problem then there probably isn’t one.

When feelings of delusional halitosis persist, it can be helpful to routinely use some breath freshening products, if only to build up self confidence. This might just mean using over the counter breath mints (but do choose sugarless ones so that you don’t encourage tooth decay or even bad breath itself). Alternatively, stronger breath products are available. But use moderation and choose carefully. Many of today’s best breath products were developed to target the source of the odor, not just freshen the breath, and many of the simple fresheners can do more harm than good, especially when the problem is halitophobia, not halitosis. Choose a product that supports good oral health and has minimal side effects. And if side effects occur, discontinue use and try something else.