All About that Bad Breath Smell

Ah, that bad breath smell. You know what I am talking about. It is the smell we wake up to in the morning, or whenever we have not brushed our teeth in a while. It is also the smell we get after eating a delicious piece of garlic bread. The smell and odor that comes from bad breath is definitely unpleasant, and is not something that anyone wants to live with. Fortunately, for most of us getting rid of this is just a toothbrush away. For some, though, the smell is a consistent presence. This article discusses what causes that bad breath smell and what it means for you.

For starters, let us talk about bad breath for a moment. Bad breath seems like a very simple concept, and for the most part it is. When we eat certain foods, or do not brush our teeth, we get bad breath. Simple, right? But there is actually more to it. There are more causes of bad breath than those mentioned, and most of them have to do with something called bacteria.

Bacteria are microscopic organisms that live, literally, everywhere – on your skin, in your body, on your clothing, in your food, and in your mouth (especially your tongue). Bacteria are not always bad; sometimes they help us and provide us with benefits. Yeast is a good example of this. But often, bacteria can result in negative effects. Bacteria in your mouth are what we can anaerobic – in other words, they thrive on a lack of oxygen. Your mouth, for the most part, is great for this. Bacteria feast on dead debris in your mouth (anything from dead tissue cells to food particles) and leave by-products called VSC. This stands for volatile sulfur compounds, and these are responsible for the nasty smell in your mouth.

This is a good example for everyday bad breath, but what about chronic bad breath, or halitosis? There are several explanations, ranging from the benign to the serious. The simplest explanation is poor dental hygiene. Not brushing your teeth regularly will cause plaque to build up on your teeth and on the gum, which results in foul-smelling odors on a daily basis. If your breath smells like rotten eggs, then this is typically the result. You can also tell if this is the case by yellow teeth or sore gums.

If your breath smells fruity, like you have been eating fruit (but you haven’t been), then you can actually have a condition known as ketoacidosis, which is due to the body getting rid of excess acetone caused by the body’s inability to use sugar for fuel. This is caused by diabetes, and is a serious condition. If this applies to you, you should consult a doctor at once.

If your bad breath smells like ammonia, or has a urine-like smell to it, then you should have yourself checked for possible kidney damage. This smell is very common to those who have suffered kidney failure, and could possibly be a warning sign to you that damage is occurring.

In short, bad breath smells are not always dangerous. Most of the time they are just a sign that you need to get to your bathroom and go to work with your toothbrush. But if you have chronic bad breath, or halitosis, then the cure could be something else entirely. Now you know all about that bad breath smell, and have the tools you need to start on a bad breath cure.