What Causes Halitosis?

Halitosis is the medical term given to what we call bad breath. There are a number of factors than can cause bad breath.

Poor Dental Hygiene

Infrequent brushing of your teeth and the failure to floss can cause bad breath. Food particle can remain trapped in-between teeth and create bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria break down the food particles and releases gases that cause your breath to smell badly. Brushing your teeth in the morning when you wake, after meals and in the evening before you go to bed can help. Flossing should be done at least in the evening before you go to bed. It is better if you can floss after meals as well since this will help remove trapped food particles. Other dental problems such as gum disease and too decay can also cause halitosis.

Poor Diet

Eating foods such as garlic, certain spices, onions, red meat, fish and even cheese can cause bad breath. If you are on a low carbohydrate diet, this too, can cause bad breath. Not drinking plenty of water will cause bad breath because you can become dehydrated. Drinking caffeinated beverages will dehydrate your body because caffeine is a diuretic.  The best course of action is to eat healthy foods and not avoid your favorite foods. If you are on a restricted low carbohydrate diet, you should stay on it. One solution to help with the problem of bad breath is to brush and floss your teeth after every meal. Also make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated.

Smoking and Drinking Alcohol

Both smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol will cause halitosis. While brushing your teeth can help eliminate bad breath, you should consider kicking both of these habits altogether instead.

Foods that can help with Halitosis

Eating foods such as avocados, guavas, parsley, fruit juice and vegetable juice can help to eliminate bad breath. Avocados help to remove bacteria from leftover food in the mouth. Guavas eaten regularly will help eliminate bad breath as it contains phosphoric acids that kill bacteria that cause bad breath.