Surprising causes of bad breath/halitosis

Even so, it is possible to maintain maximum levels of oral hygiene but still have bad breath. In this article, we look at some of the little-known causes of bad breath that you should know.

According to a halitosis study published on the National Center for Biotechnological Information(NCBI), “bad breath is caused by a mixture of breath with malodorous compounds emanating from different areas of the respiratory and upper digestive tracts”.

Causes of bad breath

1. Menstruation

periods(Muslim Girl) Signs you are super fertile Pulse Live Kenya

How? As surprising as it may sound, it’s the truth. As per the study, some women have bad breath when they are having their periods. This is due to the hormonal changes during this crucial time of the month. Luckily, this goes away soon enough after the periods are gone.

2. Oral disorders

After normal saliva is incubated in the mouth for more than an hour, it produces a bad smell. However, the saliva of someone with a disorder like periodontitis or gingivitis becomes malodorous more rapidly as compared to someone with a healthy mouth.

3. Breathing through the mouth

Bad breath (Leapfame) ece-auto-gen

This mostly happens when one has a cold and it leads to nasal blockage. While you may think that breathing through the mouth brings fresh air into the mouth leaving you with fresh breath, it’s not even close to the truth. Breathing through the mouth evaporates the saliva leaving your mouth dry and with bad breath.

4. Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis of the nose leads to nasal obstruction which in return leads to bad breath.

ALSO READ: 7 habits that are weakening your immune system

5. Syphilis

syphilis of the mouth ece-auto-gen

If left untreated, syphilis affects other parts of the body such as the nose. When it gets to the nose, it causes bad breath.

6. Drugs

Drugs that cause bad breath ece-auto-gen

Some medications do not just alter your sense of smell but they also make your mouth stink. Some drugs are excreted through the mouth and cause halitosis.