HEALTH: Causes & Treatment Of Bad Breath

Bad breath, or halitosis, is familiar to many people. Although precise epidemiological data are missing, some studies have suggested that bad breath may rank only behind dental cavities and periodontal diseases as the cause of patients’ visits to the dentist.

Experts are of the opinion that mouth odor is like any other body odor—the result of microbes living in the body giving off byproducts. In the mouth, this means bacteria that normally live in the mouth interact with food particles, blood, tissue, etc., to create volatile (i.e., stinky) sulfur compounds. If you don’t clean properly, the bacteria build up, and next thing you know—that’s not toothpaste on your tongue.
Speaking exclusively with LEADERSHIP, a dental surgeon with the Maitama General Hospital of the FCT Health Services, Dr. Godwin Nwafor, said that the root cause behind bad breath can range from banal, poor oral hygiene after meals, to potentially life-threatening, complications from diabetes and kidney failure.
He said that there are two major causes of bad breath, which are local and systemic causes, saying that local causes accounts for almost 90 per cent of all the causes of bad breath.

According to him, “Local causes of bad breath are disease conditions in the mouth affecting the hard tissues and the soft tissues while the systemic causes are disease conditions in the system, namely: the respiratory system, gastro-intestinal system and the endocrine systems.”

Dr. Nwafor listed some of the local causes of bad breath to include poor oral hygiene. “90 per cent of mouth odors come from mouth itself, either from the food you eat or bacteria that’s already there. If you don’t clean properly, the bacteria build up,” he said.

The surgeon listed other causes of bad breath as peridentratis, disease of the supporting tissue of the teeth. “This includes certain mouth conditions that can exacerbate bacterial growth and odour, such as gum disease like ulcer and dry mouth. Gum disease causes bloody gums, creating more elements for those pesky bacteria to putrefy,” he added.

Highlighting the systemic causes, Nwafor said that chronic obstructive respiratory diseases could lead to bad breath, adding that chronic bronchitis and bronchiatesis are the most common.

“Bad breath can be a sign of a more serious illness. The most common systemic causes of bad breath are diabetes or GERD (or gastro esophageal reflux disease). Diabetes can also cause ketosis, and the resulting bad breath is sometimes one of first symptoms that lead to diagnosis. GERD is a backflow of acid from the stomach to the esophagus, less common but possible are liver or kidney disease, when toxins from these organs are excreted through the lungs, causing bad breath,” Nwafor said.
He further said that social habits can also contribute to bad breath. “The obvious offenders are onions, garlic, alcohol and tobacco. And foods don’t only create a stench in the mouth. “Plant oils are absorbed and the byproducts enter your bloodstream, so you are actually breathing the odours out via your lungs three to four hours later,” he stated.

Recommending treatment, the dental surgeon said treatments for bad breath usually involve either improving oral hygiene or targeting the underlying health problems.

According to him, “Bad breath caused by the overgrowth of bacteria on the surface of the tongue can be successfully treated by a regimen that includes tongue-brushing and scraping.”
In addition, he said that gum disease can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, leaving behind pockets where bacteria can settle in and replicate. Professional cleaning and mouth rinses can reach into these areas and eliminate bacterial growth.
He pointed out that bad breath as a result of social habit can be cured by watching what goes into the mouth.

“Avoiding the main offenders (onion, garlic, tobacco, coffee, etc.) is the best way to avoid food-related bad breath.

“If tongue-scraping and carbo-loading doesn’t do the trick, check with your doctor to see if he or she suspects a more serious cause. Diabetes, GERD or other diseases require specific diagnoses and treatments,” he added.