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| What causes bad breath? |
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Bad breath is often wrongly diagnosed. Bad breath is often wrongly attributed to the stomach, the digestive system, a lung or sinus infection. Medical science has proven that bad breath originates in the mouth (not in the stomach, the sinuses or the lungs).
The theory used to be that abundantly brushing and flossing your teeth would solve the problem of bad breath. However, this theory was false. In the beginning of the nineties scientific research proved that bad breath is caused by a group bad smelling ANAEROBIC sulfur-producing BACTERIA which breed WITHIN the tongue's surface and throat. At that moment it was understood why the extra brushing (with traditional toothpaste) did not help. People, who brushed their teeth 6 times or more were still confronted with the problem. (brushing and flossing are of course indispensable for healthy teeth and gums).
These bacteria (or even better this group of bacteria) is classified as “anaerobic” bacteria (fusobacterium and actinomyces, among others). Anaerobic litarally means “without oxygen”. These bacteria thrive in an environment where oxygen is NOT (or only to a certain degree) present. They will survive and multiply fast if there is a lack of oxygen (anaerobic) in your mouth. Most probably they will thrive in those places of the mouth which are reached by oxygen with difficulty, like the back of the tongue (between the papillae), the back of the throat, between the teeth, the periodontal pockets and other spots that are difficult to reach and clean, such as enlarged tonsils.
These bacteria are “beneficial bacteria”. These bacteria are supposed to be there, because they assist humans in digestion. They break down proteins found in specific foods, mucous or phlegm, blood and in deseased or “broken down” oral tissue. Because they are part of our normal oral flora they cannot be removed permanently.
Under certain conditions, these bacteria start to break down proteins at a very high rate. These proteins are made up of amino acids. Two of the amino acids (cysteine and methionine) are dense with sulfur and are easily transformed into very strongly smelling chemical substances. When these "benificial” bacteria come into contact with these amino acids, the odourous sulfur compounds (hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan) are released from the back of the tongue and throat. These problem compounds are often referred to as “volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), where volatile means vapourous and effervescent, two adjectives which accurately describe their ability to offend other people instantly (louse smell).
The back of the tongue is often the worst evildoer of bad breath. It consists of a lot of papillae (fibers) and deep fissures. When looking into the mirror with your mouth wide open, you will notice a yellowish – whitish coating which indicates the presence of these bacteria. This yellowish coating is one of the most important symptoms of halitosis.
But, unfortunately, for some, as yet undetermined reason these particular bacteria are found in higher numbers in those anguished by bad breath. Various theories attribute this to hormonal changes, a history of medications (usually antibiotics or sulfa drugs - which create an imbalance of oral bacteria) or even genetics. Indeed, these disorders appear to run in some families, because some forms of tongues are hereditary, such as a fissured tongue and a hairy tongue.
We do know however, that it seems to be evenly split between men and women (with 30% of the population).
In the meantime a treatment for bad breath has been established with certainty. See “treatment of halitosis).
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