Cause of Bad Breath

There is a massive misconception about the cause of bad breath, or halitosis. Some definitions point towards poor oral hygiene, decayed teeth, general neglect of the teeth, periodontal disease (gum disease), deeply furrowed tongue, sinus infection, tonsillitis, diet, drying of oral tissues, digestive problems, smoking, systemic diseases, lung or sinus infection, uremia, or cirrhosis of the liver, helminthiasis (intestinal parasitic infections), diabetes, kidney failure, sinusitis, tonsilloliths, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), trimethylaminuria (TMAU), hormonal changes, and a wide variety of prescription drugs........

Truth is, there appears to be only one factor that has been shown to be the major contributing factor to bad breath - bacteria. Everyone has bacteria in their mouth, and the bacteria that we have in our mouths needs to be there. These bacteria assist humans in digestion by breaking down proteins found in specific foods, mucous or phlegm, blood, and in diseased or "broken-down" oral tissue. But, for some people, the bacteria reacts differently with these proteins and the resulting factor is known as "volatile sulfur compounds" (VSC). These sulfur compounds produce the odor.

The cure is complex, but at the same time it is simple. What you need to do is to prevent the bacteria from creating the odorous sulfide compounds (VSC's) by "adding oxygen" to the environment they live in (tongue/throat). By adding oxygen, the end result is the formation of a "Sulfate", which has no odor or taste.

Sulfides, sulfur, sulfate... confused ? You will definitely benefit from the best 'cause of halitosis' article we've ever come across, which incidentally can be downloaded for free (it's well worth spending 10 minutes skimming through this article). The author, Dr Katz, is seen as one of the leading experts on halitosis and his ebook offers an excellent insight into the causes and cures of halitosis.