Understand Bad Breath

Bad breath (also called oral malodor or halitosis) is a surprisingly common affliction in all parts of the world; nevertheless, relatively few people really understand bad breath. This is partly because it’s only in the last few decades that scientists have begun to take the problem seriously and try to figure out what is going on when breath turns foul. There are a number of causes for the condition including eating, drinking, and smoking habits; dental problems; sinus and throat problems; and a few diseases and disorders, but most cases stem from a single simple cause.

Information about halitosis usually stresses the use of antibacterial products without really explaining why that should be necessary. As the advice implies, most uncomplicated oral malodor is produced by bacteria that are living in the mouth. These bacteria are not abnormal or dangerous bacteria—they live in our mouths all the time, usually without causing any problem. To understand bad breath, we have to understand that, for some reason, certain types of bacteria sometimes take over and proliferate to abnormal numbers. This results in an imbalance in the normal oral bacteria.

Scientists understand bad breath is usually caused by anaerobic bacteria—bacteria that live in places where there is very little or no oxygen (like the back of the mouth and between the teeth). Most of us are familiar with the offensive smells given off by things rotting in very wet or airless conditions. These odors are reminiscent of the odors we think of when we think about halitosis. In fact the same gases are involved: airborne volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) that are byproducts of anaerobic decomposition.

Volatile sulfur compounds are actually waste products of the bacteria themselves. These bacteria break down protein in the environment or in the mouth (dead skin cells, food remnants, sinus drainage etc.), taking what they need to grow and reproduce, and releasing VSC among other waste. Thus, we now understand bad breath can be treated simply by reducing the numbers of anaerobic bacteria in the mouth. Today’s breath products typically only do this temporarily and have to be used daily. New research and discussion about halitosis focuses on how to cure the problem permanently and reestablish a healthy balance of oral bacteria in the mouth.