Have you ever wondered whether you have bad breath? Do you know what can cause it? Statistics show that one out of four people have this problem with other studies reporting half of the adult population have this condition.

Some of the main causes are eating certain foods, compromised health conditions and having certain habits. Most of the time, you can treat the problem with proper oral hygiene. But if you’ve been diligently practicing good dental hygiene by brushing better and flossing more and still don’t see any change, you should make an appointment with your dentist or doctor to eliminate other serious causes of your condition.

External Causes: You can have external and internal sources for your odor. External sources can be certain foods in your meal, especially if you like spicy or strong foods (such as cooking spices, onions, garlic, and even tuna). If you think the smell in your breath may be caused by this reason, you’ll want to make a food log and record what you’re eating and when the problem appears. If you use tobacco or alcohol, you can also develop bad breath.

Internal Reasons: Internal reasons can start in your mouth and spread throughout the rest of your body. Your tongue naturally provides the perfect place for bacteria to accumulate and multiply. These bacteria emit and odor by releasing volatile sulfur compound (VSC’s). The main culprits that cause this odor are hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptain. An examination of will show these bacteria like to live in the back area of your tongue.

Other Causes: There are other factors that can cause odors in your mouth including: Dry Mouth from lack of saliva flow. Reduced saliva can be caused by medications or radiation therapy for cancer; Dental issues like poor dental hygiene, gingivitis and gum disease cause odors to develop in your mouth; Poor denture cleaning habits can cause food and plaque to stick to the denture leading to odor formation; Sinus or Throat Infections; Systemic diseases such as diabetes, kidney/liver failure, GI problems, and lung infections or abscesses; and patients who diet regularly.

If the problem doesn’t go away with good daily hygiene care, schedule an appointment with your dentist to find out why. He may stock products designed to get rid of the VSC’s in your mouth.

Meanwhile, you should continue to focus on proper dental hygiene care by brushing with a flouridated toothpaste, flossing or using other aids such as a gum stimulator or interproximal brush cleaner, and cleaning your tongue with a tongue scraper.

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