Think you have bad breath?

Bad breath can be a sign of oral-related diseases or other medical conditions seemingly unrelated to the mouth. – Filepic

I was going through a period of stress lately, and my husband complained that I had bad breath. He won’t even kiss me any more! I am really upset. What is bad breath?

Bad breath is medically known as halitosis.

It can be caused by many things, including certain foods, certain health disorders and certain dental conditions.

In order to diagnose the cause of your bad breath, it may be good to see a dentist first.

If the dentist cannot find its cause, then you should go see a doctor.

Around one out of four people in the world have bad breath.

You mean I have to see a healthcare professional for my bad breath? Isn’t it something I can treat on my own? I mean there are so many mints and mouthwashes that I can buy from pharmacies.

It is true that there are a lot of products to treat bad breath in pharmacies, and even supermarkets, which range from chewing gum and mints to mouthwashes and all sorts of other products.

However, many of these can only work for you in the short term; there is likely to be a disorder underlying your bad breath that you still have to address.

In many cases, you can prevent bad breath by keeping your mouth clean, drinking lots of water and flossing in between your teeth regularly.

But if your bad breath persists, it is time to see either or both a dentist and a doctor.

So what are the causes of bad breath?

The commonest cause is bad oral hygiene.

If you don’t brush your teeth often, floss, or go to the dentist for routine checking and to remove plaque on your teeth, your mouth may be full of bacteria.

These bacteria can invade your teeth, cause cavities, gum disease, and also bad breath.

Gum disease (gingivitis) is inflammation of your gums.

It is caused by plaque – a sticky film that builds up on your teeth if you don’t brush or floss often.

The inflammation from your gums can spread to the surrounding areas of your teeth and bone underneath, and cause periodontitis.

This can lead to both serious gum and tooth damage.

There is a condition called “trench mouth”, which affected soldiers during World War I because they could not take care of their teeth.

Their gum disease was so bad that they experienced severe pain, bleeding and fever.

Are there other causes?

There are indeed other ­causes you need to look out for, such as:

> Having a dry mouth

This can be caused by not having enough saliva, for one.

Smokers tend to have dry mouths.

If you are on certain medications, they can also cause dry mouth.

> Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

This is getting more common, especially in our modern society where we get stressed out easily and overeat.

In this condition, acid from your stomach leaks into your oesophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach.

Acid carries with it a sour smell.

You can sometimes taste it or smell it yourself if you have GERD.

> Tonsil stones

Food can sometimes get stuck in your tonsils and harden into calcium deposits.

These can trap food residue and cause a bad smell.

> Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you have an increased risk of getting gum disease.

> Liver disease

Your liver’s job is to filter toxins out of your body.

If it is not functioning properly, you can develop “fetor hepaticus” in the very late stages of liver failure.

This chronic bad breath has a sickly sweet smell like the odour of a rotten egg.

> Kidney disease

Your kidney’s job is to also filter and excrete toxins.

If your kidneys fail, the resulting bad breath is called "uremic fetor", and that smells like ammonia or urine.

> Respiratory tract disease

Pneumonia, bronchitis or any respiratory tract infection can cause bad breath, especially if you cough up phlegm.

I am too embarrassed to ask someone if I have bad breath. How do I tell if I have bad breath if I am alone?

This is a simple test.

Lick the back of your hand and leave the saliva to dry.

Then smell it.

If it’s an unpleasant smell, chances are that you have bad breath.

You can also try smelling your dental floss after you have used it.

If you are too shy to ask your partner, family member or friend, you can ask your dentist to assess your breath.

How can I get rid of my bad breath?

You need to uncover and treat the root cause of your bad breath if it persists.

If the root cause is due to poor oral hygiene, then you need to get a dental cleaning, including scraping off all the plaque and tartar that have accumulated on your teeth.

You cannot do this yourself no matter how hard or frequently you brush or floss, so please visit a dentist.

Your dentist may also recommend mouth rinses to kill the bacteria in your mouth.

If the cause is not oral, then you need to visit a doctor to uncover the possible other causes and get them treated.

Is there any way to prevent bad breath? Should I use mouthwash or something?

Drink lots of water.

Avoid alcohol or caffeine if you have bad breath.

You need to brush your teeth twice a day – in the morning and before you sleep.

You can also use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue.

Mouthwashes can help, but do use non-alcoholic ones as alcoholic ones may cause other complications.

See your dentist every six months for a check-up.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.