Is bad breath a common issue? Nobody wants to fear scaring people off from smelly breath and there’s nothing more embarrassing than having to cover your mouth while you speak - or sneak a smell of your own breath, but what is causing it? There could be a multitude of reasons behind your bad breath, it just needs a pinpoint so you can rectify it. If you need some helpful hints, here is a list of things to check for:

The top candidate for causing bad breath is general oral health. Brushing your teeth and flossing are not promoted as a suggestion, but for a reason. It is important to remove plaque, food debris, and bacteria from your mouth on a daily basis – usually recommended twice a day. Buildup of debris and plaque can begin to smell after some time and can even start to trap food particles on your tonsils and tongue. When this starts to happen, odor begins to occur, and the left-over food and debris can cause decay and cavities – another reason for bad breath.

Another major contender for bad breath would be dry mouth. When you do not have proper amounts of saliva forming, bad breath is likely to begin. Without saliva, food particles are not being removed naturally from your mouth. This can be a medical issue called, xerostomia, so if this is a reoccurring issue for you, seek help from your dentist for a solution.

And finally, another runner up for bad breath would be diet. The statement, “you are what you eat” comes in handy here. High sugar diets or high protein, low carb diets are a proponent for a foul odor. High sugar diets usually coincide with halitosis, which happens when sugar reacts with bad bacteria. This can cause a stench, as well as with high protein foods. When you eat a high protein diet, our bodies occasionally have problems breaking down the food, causing gas to release. When your food properly metabolizes, you will have better smelling breath.

If bad breath is an issue for you, call your doctor to schedule a consultation. Your dentist will be able to help you figure out the cause of this problem for your specific case. Everyone is different and most people go through a time when their breath does not smell the best. There are many other causes, so find out more!