What Causes Halitosis
For all its negative connotations, halitosis, or bad breath, is actually a very common and treatable problem that affects 60 million Americans. That means nearly one in five people in the United States struggle with halitosis, and the fallout from it, every day. Are you one of them? Even if you don’t have halitosis, nearly everyone has bad breath from time-to-time. Keep reading to learn more about halitosis, what causes halitosis, and how to get of halitosis for good.
What Is Halitosis? (AKA Bad Breath)
According to the American Dental Association, halitosis is chronic bad breath, which means bad breath that keeps coming back. More than simply occasional bad breath, halitosis returns frequently, even after using traditional bad breath remedies like gum, mints, brushing and flossing.
If you have recurring bad breath, a trip to the dentist is a great place to start to ensure you don’t have any serious underlying issues. However, for the most part, halitosis is simply a common but easily treated, problem. When treated the right way, you can get rid of it forever.
Halitosis Causes
Many factors can cause halitosis, including:
- Poor oral hygiene. Without strong oral hygiene practices like brushing and flossing teeth daily, cavities and gum disease can develop. The holes and pits in tooth enamel and gums caused by cavities and gum disease provide great places for bacteria in the mouth to hide. When bacteria are not removed through brushing and flossing, bad breath can be the result.
- Infections in the mouth, nose, and throat. According to the Mayo Clinic, postnasal drip from infections can cause bad breath when bacteria feed on the mucous that’s formed as a result of the underlying infection.
- Dry Mouth. A lack of saliva in the mouth can contribute to halitosis because two of the important functions of saliva are to break down food particles and cleanse germs and bacteria from the teeth. A dry mouth encourages the growth of bacteria, which can cause bad breath. Dry mouth itself has many causes including medications, medical conditions, drinking alcohol and caffeine and smoking.
- Smoking and tobacco. Not only does smoking leave behind “smoker’s breath,” but it can also dry out your mouth, which provides a great environment for germs and bacteria to grow and cause bad breath.
While there are many causes of halitosis, the one underlying factor found in all of them is bacteria. Inside our mouths are naturally occurring bacteria or germs, and when these germs consume protein they release volatile sulfur compounds, or VSCs, and it’s the unpleasant odor of these VSCs, or sulfur gas, that is perceived as bad breath.
So, although many things contribute to it, the real cause of halitosis is the sulfur gas formed by bacteria and germs.
Halitosis Treatments
Now that we know what causes halitosis, what’s the best way to get rid of it? There are many ways to manage the bacteria that contribute to halitosis, including:
- Brushing and flossing regularly
- Visiting a dentist twice yearly
- Staying hydrated
- Avoiding spicy foods
However, removing germs and bacteria is only a temporary treatment for halitosis. The one sure way to get rid of halitosis long-term is to neutralize and block VSCs in the mouth. Typical mouthwashes like Scope and Listerine, and even gum and mints, can temporarily get rid of bacteria or cover it with mint flavor, but the bacteria, sulfur gas, and the resulting bad breath, all will return, usually in about an hour.
A zinc-based oral rinse can neutralize sulfur gas for a short time, and there are several on the market. But, to really get rid of halitosis, you’ll need to power of zinc ions to move beyond simply temporarily neutralizing sulfur gas to blocking it from reproducing and keeping it away for a full 24 hours*.
As Close to a Cure for Halitosis as Possible
There is one product line on the market that features patented zinc ion technology to block sulfur gas and get rid of halitosis all day long – SmartMouth Activate Oral Rinses. When mixed together, the Sulfur Eliminating Solution, which destroys sulfur gases, and the zinc-rich Activating Solution, activate to release millions of zinc ions.
Exponentially more powerful than inert zinc, the zinc ions bind to the germs and block their ability to ingest protein particles, which stops sulfur gas production and the resulting bad breath. Used in the morning and before bed, it’s as close to a cure for halitosis as you’ll find!
More Halitosis Information
At SmartMouth Oral Health Laboratories, we’re serious about fighting halitosis. In fact, our founder, Dr. Marvin Cohen, was a practicing dentist who literally wrote the book on halitosis, as the author of the bad breath (halitosis) section of the Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 Medical Edition. To find out more about the science behind our zinc ion technology, and why it’s so effective at fighting halitosis, check out our How it Works page.
Because many people who struggle with halitosis also face other oral health issues, SmartMouth’s line of activated oral rinses comes in three different formulas. All three feature the zinc ion technology for 24-hour bad breath protection found in the Original Activated Oral Rinse. The Dry Mouth formula also uses Moisture-Lock Technology™ to soothe and moisturize the mouth, while Clinical DDS offers extra anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis protection. All three are alcohol-free and safe for diabetics.
Where to Get Halitosis Relief
SmartMouth Oral Rinses can be found at most drugstores and supercenters. Or buy it now on Amazon.
Try SmartMouth Oral Rinses today and get rid of halitosis forever. With SmartMouth, you’ll never have bad breath. Guaranteed.
*Results may vary. 24-hour bad breath protection results associated with twice daily use. SmartMouth products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. All SmartMouth products come with our guarantee that SmartMouth works exactly as described or your money back. Always consult your oral healthcare professional.
