Chronic Bad Breath vs. Normal Bad Breath – What’s The Difference?

What’s the difference between chronic bad breath and normal bad breath? If you’re wondering this question, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Chronic bad breath is different than waking up with smelly breath in the morning or having bad breath after you drink a cup of coffee. Chronic bad breath can be a very demoralizing and embarrassing factor to life, and millions of people don’t know how to deal with it, or they don’t even know that they have it in the first place.

The fact is, we all have bad breath at one point or another in our daily lives. However, the issue of chronic bad breath is a more pressing concern that millions of people all over the world face every day.

What’s The Definition Of Chronic Bad Breath?

Chronic bad breath is defined as an ongoing case of bad breath, no matter how much you brush your teeth, floss, or rinse with mouthwash.

Chronic bad breath can make your work relationships, your social life, and your love life very difficult at times due to the fact that many people may want to avoid up-close-and-personal contact because of your unfortunate mouth odor.

If you’re experiencing any of these daily symptoms, you may want to speak to a dentist about chronic bad breath:

• A constant sour or metallic taste in your mouth
• Plaque build-up near base of teeth or between teeth
• A burning sensation on your tongue
• Puffy or bleeding gums
• Bad breath that doesn’t go away after brushing
• Post nasal drip
• An unnatural amount of mucus
• Dry mouth
• A white tint or coating on your tongue
• Thick saliva
• People turning away when you speak or avoiding close contact

Remember, chronic bad breath can have a significant effect on your self-esteem and confidence. It can make daily aspects of your work life, social life, and family life tougher than usual.

If you or someone you know is worried about possibly having chronic bad breath, please consult your dentist or dental hygienist and formulate a plan for proper oral health.

How Chronic Bad Breath Can Affect Your Life

The symptoms of chronic bad breath have affected people’s lives in many different ways. Some have experienced:

• Anxiety at work, at home, or in social situations
• Depression
• Fear of speaking
• Refusal to eat certain foods

But remember! Chronic bad breath, while not curable, can be improved with proper oral hygiene and you will see your symptoms lessen and your confidence increase.

What Causes Chronic Bad Breath?

People are affected by chronic bad breath differently, so it’s difficult to say that there’s one primary root cause of this. It’s purely dependent on your overall health and lifestyle choices.

The most prevalent cause of chronic bad breath is poor oral hygiene. Having a good oral routine is incredibly important to ensure that you’ll see relief from halitosis.

Oral health practices to remember that can reduce persistent bad breath:

• Brush at least twice a day
• Rinse with mouthwash
• Floss every time you brush
• Thoroughly clean your tongue

The cause of chronic bad breath can originate in your mouth, but it can also begin with other medical or body issues that end up worsening bad breath.

The cause of normal or average bad breath is due to oral bacteria consuming protein and producing VSCs (volatile sulfur compounds). These sulfur compounds are known as bad breath.

View the chart below to see the different causes for chronic bad breath vs. the causes for normal bad breath.

Chronic Bad Breath Causes vs. Normal Bad Breath Causes

Persistent Bad Breath Causes	Normal Bad Breath Causes
Smoking tobacco	Foods high in sugar, protein, and acidity
Chewing tobacco	Beverages high in caffeine and sugar
A high-protein diet. E.g., Keto diet	Smoking tobacco
Gum disease	Chewing tobacco
Tooth decay	Recreational drug use
Tonsillitis or tonsil stones	Overall poor oral hygiene
Sinus infection or sinusitis	Alcohol consumption
Bronchitis
The Flu
Pneumonia
Asthma
Digestive disorders
Diabetes or kidney disorder
Post-nasal drip
Liver disorder
Menstruation
Recreational drug use

There are many other bodily issues or aspects of daily life that could cause chronic bad breath.

For instance, the below factors are all known to potentially cause chronic bad breath:

• Over-the-counter medications
• Prescription medications
• Dry Mouth

Dry mouth can be one of the leading causes of halitosis because our saliva production is of the utmost importance for proper oral health. Not only does it keep our mouth comfortable, but it removes food particles so unwanted bacteria can’t feed and produce the stinky sulfur gas known as VSCs in their digestion process.

It’s important to consult your doctor if you’re taking medications that are causing dry mouth or chronic bad breath symptoms. Consistent dry mouth can lead to halitosis and could cause tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.

See if your medical professional can change your prescription to something that will lessen the dry mouth or cottonmouth effects and you should see your constant bad breath subside.

How To Know If You Have Chronic Bad Breath?

Chronic bad breath is an embarrassing issue, but it doesn’t have to ruin your self-confidence.

The fact is, our noses aren’t trained to pick up our smelly breath, so it can be somewhat difficult to know if you’re showing symptoms of halitosis.

Even though our noses aren’t trained to be able to sense it, there are still a few easy ways to see if you have an issue.

1. Floss your teeth, then sniff your floss after you’ve finished.
2. Ask someone you trust if you can breathe into their face.
3. Wipe the back of your tongue with a cotton ball and then smell it.
4. Talk to your dentist or dental hygienist.

How Do You Treat Chronic Bad Breath?

There are many ways to treat chronic bad breath, and it’s mainly dependent on the root cause of your issue.

If the cause of your chronic bad breath originates in your mouth, follow the simple steps below, and you’re sure to see your bad breath symptoms decline.

DIY Solutions To Minimize Chronic Bad Breath:

• Eliminate the very stinky foods from your diet (onions, garlic, tuna)
• Quit smoking cigarettes, cigars, or chewing tobacco
• Start eating more high-fiber foods
• Try chewing sugar-free gum or mints
• Quit drinking beverages that contain sugar
• Eliminate caffeinated drinks from your diet
• Try to eat less dairy
• Consume less high-protein meats
• Drink more water
• Brush, floss, and use mouthwash after every meal
• Clean your tongue on a daily basis

It’s very important to note that there is no available mouthwash, toothpaste, or oral health product that can cure or eliminate chronic bad breath permanently. It’s critical to maintain proper oral hygiene such as flossing, brushing, using an alcohol-free oral rinse, and visiting your dentist regularly. These tactics cannot permanently eliminate chronic bad breath but will help greatly in eliminating normal, everyday bad breath.

Also, talk to your dentist about producing a proper oral health plan. Their knowledge will help clarify areas where your dental hygiene could be improved.