14 Reasons Your Breath Stinks (& How to Freshen It Naturally)
Bad breath can be embarrassing (just look at poor Olivia on this season’s “The Bachelor”), but what causes it? Here are the 14 most common causes of bad breath, plus some natural ways to freshen up.
If you suffer from bad breath (or halitosis), it can be tempting to just suck on breath mints, or use mouthwash often. But this is just masking the problem – and may make it even worse. Sugar and other chemicals in breath mints can ferment and aggravate the issue, while the alcohol in most mouth washes dries out the sensitive tissues in your mouth, which only leads to a vicious cycle of more bad breath!
To combat your breath problem, you first need to figure out the cause. This article discusses the 14 most common causes of bad breath, and shares some natural ways to freshen your breath and help solve the issue for good. (Click through to the full article for more details, and the solutions.)
1. You Just Woke Up
This is perhaps the most obvious cause right here. But let’s take a look at why this is: during sleep, the body is actually busy at work detoxifying, repairing, and regenerating tissues.
The bacteria in the mouth are quite awake, as well. This is due to the fact that saliva production dramatically slows during sleep. Because saliva has a major role in cleaning the mouth and keeping pathogens from thriving, there can be a buildup of bacteria after sleeping.
Solution
If this is the case, then have no fear, morning breath is completely normal for most people and can be reversed with simple morning oral hygiene practices like oil pulling. (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
2. Mouth-Breathing
………………………………………………………………..
3. Stinky Foods
……………………………………………………………….
4. Smoking
Time to add to the list of health conditions that can be caused by cigarettes. Unsurprisingly, smoking not only increases the amount of odor-producing compounds in a person’s mouth and lungs, but the habit can also dry out your mouth, leading to lower saliva production, according to a 2004 review by researchers from Hong Kong. (11, 12, 13)
Solution
There are more serious reasons to quit smoking than bad breath. We’re not going to run down the laundry list of why it’s bad for your health but here is a good place to start if you’re trying to quit.
5. Medication
Certain meds—like some antihistamines, diuretics, antipsychotics, and muscle relaxants—can cause side effects that include dry mouth, says Dr. Rifai. And that, in turn, can reduce the amount of saliva your mouth produces and increase the bacteria camping out there.
Solution
If you can’t do anything about your medication regimen, try cleaning your tongue with either a toothbrush or a tongue scraper. According to the American Dental Association, your tongue harbors most of the bacteria that causes smelly breath, and scraping it off the surface may halt bad breath, at least temporarily.
6. Sinus Infection/Cold
………………………………………………………………
7. A Low-Carb Diet
……………………………………………………………..
8. Cavities
Your mom has already warned you that a buildup of plaque can erode your teeth, leaving you with cavities. And while poor oral hygiene certainly contributes to bad breath, those “holes” may also trigger halitosis indirectly, too: “Food can get caught in the cavities,” explains Dr. Grbic, and since cavities can be hard to clean, the remnants of your last meal can linger there for longer-than-usual periods of time, which can then lead to more bad breath. (For the record, yes, you’ll need a filling.)
Solution
For fresh breath, following proper oral hygiene habits is very important. Proper brushing, flossing, and tongue scraping are a few ways to prevent odor-inducing bacteria from building up on the teeth and tongue.
9. Dental Appliances
………………………………………………………………..
10. Alcohol
Alcohol lingers on your breath long past last call. In fact, one 2007 study by researchers from Israel found that drinking alcohol was linked to increased rates of halitosis—this despite the fact that their subjects had fasted for 12 hours overnight and were also allowed to brush their teeth in the morning.
The study authors suspected that not only does booze dry out a person’s mouth, but that a certain odor is triggered when the body metabolizes alcohol.
Solution
If you tend to get unusually smelly breath after drinking, stick to a limit and don’t go past it. Also, a glass of water between drinks not helps keep bad breath at bay, but also helps control your alcohol intake by making you more full.
11. Heartburn or Acid Reflux
The overwhelming majority of halitosis cases are caused by the bacteria in a person’s mouth—but researchers also suspect that in a minority of people, bad breath is triggered by a GI disorder like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which the contents of a person’s stomach leak back up into the esophagus.
One 2007 study published in the journal Oral Diseases found that bad breath was more prevalent in people with GERD than those with other digestion problems, possibly because the disease may damage a person’s throat tissue.
Solution
Avoid foods that may aggravate acid reflux. This includes spicy foods, alcohol, fruit juices, and coffee.
12. Strep Throat
……………………………………………………………
13. Poor Digestive Health
A healthy digestive system is crucial for optimal overall health. In your gut there are trillions of beneficial bacteria that influence many of your body functions, including your immune system.
Studies show that an estimated 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut. (14)
Your gut should have a balance of somewhere near 85 percent good bacteria and 15 percent bad. (15) An imbalance between good and bad bacteria can predispose you to a wide number of health problems more serious than bad breath and body odor.
…………………………………………………….
Solution
This is why reseeding your gut with beneficial bacteria is essential for optimal health and disease prevention. But before I enumerate the steps that will help you achieve this, you must first understand how your diet plays a significant role in the imbalance of your gut flora.
14. Compromised Immunity
……………………………………………………………..
For more tips and solutions, check out the full article at PaleoHacks.com.
