You open your mouth to yawn or speak… and yikes! You smell it: bad breath. How did this even happen? What can you do to remove or prevent it? Let’s talk about that and more in this article!

Don’t worry if you’re suffering from bad breath – everyone experiences that at one point or another! And if you’re simply trying to avoid bad breath, keep reading because we’ll share tips to prevent it, too.

That aside, feel free to browse our collection of teeth whitening items if you’re interested in whitening your teeth! Quick info about us? We’re Zimba, and we’re committed to making teeth whitening affordable, accessible, and highly effective for everyone!

What Is Bad Breath?

Bad breath is also known as halitosis, and it’s a pretty common condition. Its main symptom is an unpleasant odor stemming from the mouth, and it can be caused by many things. It can be embarrassing and hard to deal with, but it’s treatable and preventable. 

 

What Are The Cause Of Bad Breaths?

So, are you suffering from bad breath or simply trying to figure out what causes it? Let’s talk about the causes of bad breath in detail:

Infections In The Mouth

Tiny organisms live within and on us, including bacteria and fungi. They don’t generally cause trouble, but when there’s an overwhelming amount of them in one place, they can cause an infection. When on the mouth, this infection can then cause bad breath.

Basically, bacteria, fungi, or viruses can bring about an unpleasant odor in your mouth. Common infections that cause bad breath include sinus infections, tonsillitis, and gum disease.

• Bacterial Infections: Bacteria can accumulate in the back of the tongue and on the tonsils, producing an unpleasant odor. Bacterial infections like gum disease and cavities can also cause bad breath. 
• Fungal Infections: Fungal infections can occur in the mouth, throat, and tongue, and can produce a musty or sweet odor. They can also cause a white coating on the tongue, which can further contribute to bad breath.
• Viral Infections: Viral infections can cause inflammation of the throat and sinuses, which can lead to a foul odor coming from the nose. Viral infections can also cause a dry mouth, which can further contribute to bad breath.

Poor Dental Hygiene

Poor dental hygiene is one of the most common causes of bad breath. This stems from a buildup of bacteria in the mouth as well as tooth decay and gum disease, which can contribute to bad breath.

Acid And Bile Reflux

Another contributor to bad breath may be acid and bile reflux. Acid and bile reflux happens when your stomach acid and bile travel up to your esophagus and into your mouth. You’ll often know you’re suffering from bad breath caused by reflux when you experience a sour or bitter taste in your mouth, sometimes even throat and mouth irritation.

While acid and bile reflux may be tricky to treat, you can prevent it by avoiding spicy food, caffeine, and alcohol, which are known to trigger reflux. You may also need to avoid overeating or speak to a healthcare professional for more advice. 

Food Particles Remaining In The Teeth

You know how when you don’t brush your teeth for days, your mouth starts to smell bad? Food particles that remain in your teeth can be your culprits. When food particles remain in the teeth, they can attract bacteria and lead to the production of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), which cause bad breath. Bacteria feed on the food particles and break them down, releasing VSCs that give off a foul odor.

Tobacco

If you’re a smoker, you might want to rethink your tobacco use. The smoke from tobacco products can cause a strong, unpleasant odor to linger in the mouth. It can also dry the mouth, reducing saliva production and leading to bad breath. Additionally, tobacco products contain tar and nicotine, which can stain the teeth and also cause bad breath. 

Medications

Are you currently under medication? Or maybe you’ve noticed you usually sport bad breath when you’re medicating? This could be due to some antibiotics, antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, or anxiolytics. Most of them can cause dry mouth that leads to bad breath.

What Are Bad Breath's Symptoms?

The most common symptom of bad breath is a strong, unpleasant odor coming from the mouth. This odor may be worse after eating certain foods, such as garlic, onions, or fish. Other symptoms of bad breath include a dry mouth, a bad taste in the mouth, and a white coating on the tongue.

In some cases, bad breath may also be a sign of an underlying health condition. If the bad breath persists despite regular brushing and flossing, it’s best to consult a doctor to determine the cause. Again, common causes of bad breath include poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, smoking, certain medications, and certain medical conditions.

How Can You Prevent Bad Breath?

If you’re suffering from bad breath or simply want to avoid it, these are our top tips to prevent bad breath:

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Prevention and treatment of bad breath start with practicing good oral hygiene! This means correctly and regularly brushing and flossing your teeth to ensure food particles, bacteria, and plaque don’t build up. 

Aim to brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes per session, and always brush your tongue. Flossing once a day and targeting the food particles and plaque between your teeth and along your gum line helps as well.

Likewise, pick a toothbrush with soft bristles and remember to replace it every three months. You may also use an antibacterial mouthwash to finish off your brushing routine, get rid of more bacteria, and freshen your mouth.

Clean Your Tongue

We need to mention this again because most people can forget to clean their tongues! Your tongue can harbor bacteria and food particles that can cause bad breath, so it’s important to pay attention to it.

To clean your tongue, use a tongue scraper or a soft-bristled toothbrush. Start at the back of the tongue and gently scrape or brush the surface. Reach as far back as possible because bacteria and food particles can accumulate in this area!

If you don’t have a tongue scraper, toothbrush, or tongue cleaner, you can also use a teaspoon. Place the teaspoon at the back of your tongue and gently scrape it forward. This will remove bacteria and food particles from the surface of your tongue.

Stay Hydrated

Did you know that hydration plays a huge role in your mouth’s odor? Dehydration can decrease saliva production and invite bacteria to accumulate in your mouth, which could cause bad breath!

So, if you want to avoid bad breath, stay hydrated. Drinking enough water keeps the mouth moist and washes away bacteria and food particles, which can prevent bad breath. It also flushes out toxins in the body, which further reduces bad breath.

It’s best to drink at least eight glasses of water a day and sometimes even more, depending on your activity level. 

Watch Your Diet

This one should be obvious: your diet and whatever else you eat affect how your mouth smells. Foods with strong odors, such as garlic, onions, and spices, can make your breath smell bad. The same goes for sugary and acidic foods and beverages like soda.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

If you’ve done all of those and still experience bad breath, it might be time to visit your dentist. Actually, it’s best to set up regular dental appointments to ensure your teeth are in optimal health.

Regular dental checkups allow you to identify and treat dental problems that could lead to bad breath before they even start. It can also prevent further tooth decay, excessive plaque or tartar buildup, and more.

How Can It Be Treated?

As we’ve kept saying throughout this article, you’re not a hopeless case if you’re suffering from bad breath. Here are some ways to deal with bad breath:

Improve Oral Hygiene

If you can prevent bad breath by practicing good dental hygiene, improving your oral hygiene can treat it, too. Proper brushing, flossing, and the use of an antibacterial mouthwash all contribute to better oral hygiene and a reduction of bad breath.

You should also pay attention to the type of toothbrush and toothpaste you use. Your brush’s quality can affect your oral health, so always pick a soft-bristled brush like Zimba’s bamboo toothbrush. 

As for toothpaste, picking something that contains a good amount of fluoride is recommended. Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and reduces the chances of developing cavities.

Address Dental Issues

If practicing better oral hygiene isn’t working well enough, you may need to address dental issues. It’s important to treat cavities, gum diseases, or other dental problems to alleviate your bad breath. If you have signs of gum disease, such as redness, swelling, or bleeding gums, visit your dentist as soon as possible. 

Treat Dry Mouth

Dry mouth or xerostomia can be a common cause of bad breath. Saliva is important in keeping the mouth clean and free of bacteria, and when the production of saliva decreases, bacteria can more easily accumulate in the mouth, leading to bad breath. 

The most effective way to treat dry mouth is to identify and address the underlying cause. Common causes of dry mouth include certain medications, dehydration, smoking, and certain medical conditions. If you’re taking medications that cause dry mouth, talk to your doctor about other options. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding tobacco products can also help keep your mouth moist.

If the dry mouth persists despite addressing the underlying cause, you can use saliva substitutes, which are available in the form of gels, sprays, and lozenges, and saliva stimulants, which are available in the form of tablets. You can also try chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free hard candy to help stimulate saliva production. 

Manage Sinus Or Respiratory Conditions

Managing sinus or respiratory conditions can be an effective way to reduce bad breath. Sinus congestion can cause bacteria to build up in the nose and throat, leading to bad breath. Similarly, respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and COPD can cause bad breath due to the buildup of mucus in the lungs.

To manage sinus or respiratory conditions, try to keep your nasal passages clear and work on reducing inflammation. You can do this by using a saline nasal spray, a humidifier, or a vaporizer. A neti pot may also flush out your sinuses and reduce congestion.

In the case of respiratory conditions, it’s best to take any prescribed medications as directed and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen. Using a humidifier or vaporizer may also reduce inflammation and mucus buildup in the lungs.

Is There A Cure For Bad Breath?

There’s no one cure for bad breath, but there are ways to reduce and prevent it. Again, good oral hygiene is the key to managing bad breath – it can remove bacteria that cause unpleasant odors. 

It’s also important to stay hydrated so that you can produce a normal amount of saliva to keep bacteria at bay, as well as avoid food like garlic and onions or beverages like soda and caffeine. It’s also best to seek a dentist for advice, especially if you need to treat certain conditions associated with bad breath.

Why stop on reducing bad breath when you can have whiter teeth, too? Check out our affordable teeth-whitening products! If you’re not up to it yet, you can also just get an eco-friendly, soft, and tapered bamboo toothbrush for your brushing needs.

FAQs

What is the best medicine for bad breath?

There is no single best medicine for bad breath – the cause and severity of bad breath can vary from person to person. Generally, however, good oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing regularly, avoiding tobacco products, and drinking plenty of water, can reduce bad breath.

How can you tell if your bad breath comes from your stomach?

If your bad breath comes with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, heartburn, or abdominal pain, it is likely that the bad breath is coming from your stomach. 

How do you fix bad breath without anything?

The best way to fix bad breath without any products is to practice good oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and using a tongue scraper to remove bacteria from the back of the tongue. You may also drink plenty of water and avoid sugary and acidic foods, as well as use an antibacterial mouthwash.

What foods cause bad breath?

Foods like garlic, onions, and certain spices can cause bad breath, as well as beverages that are high in sugar and acid. 

Can stress cause bad breath?

Stress can lead to dry mouth and poor oral hygiene, which can contribute to bad breath.

What role does saliva play in bad breath?

Saliva keeps the mouth clean and reduces bad breath by helping wash away food particles and bacteria. Saliva also neutralizes acids in the mouth, which contributes to the reduction of bad breath.