What Causes Bad Breath?
Anaerobic bacteria are present in the mouth and it is the waste that these bacteria produce that causes bad breath. Anaerobic bacteria survive even without oxygen. Hydrogen sulfide, cadaverine, methyl mercaptan, skatole and putrescine are the waste products that are produced by anaerobic bacteria.
It is a fact that the mouth is home to numerous bacteria types, which compete with each other for space inside the mouth. There are bacteria that cause bad breath and there are those that do not. However, when the "good" bacteria are outnumbered by the "bad" bacteria, more waste products are produced in the mouth. It is this imbalance between these bacteria types that eventually leads to bad breath.
It is just plain impossible to completely get rid of the anaerobic bacteria in your mouth. However, you can keep the
bacteria from producing odor-causing waste products by regularly cleaning your mouth. Regular brushing and flossing is
important. In addition, getting your teeth checked by the dentist also helps.
Plaque on the teeth can encourage the anaerobic bacteria from producing waste products so it is important that you avoid plaque from accumulating. Plaque actually reduces the oxygen level in the mouth, and this lack of oxygen further triggers the anaerobic bacteria to produce waste products. If you allow plaque to build up, the anaerobic bacteria become more productive, producing more waste products and exacerbating the bad breath. Keep in mind that it only take a very thin layer of plaque to help anaerobic bacteria to flourish.
Today, 85% to 90% of people suffering from bad breath discover that their condition is due to the anaerobic bacteria in the mouth.
