If you suffer from bad breath, you are not alone. It is estimated that 30 to 50% of the world population experience bad breath regularly, regardless of gender, age or social class.1,3
Additionally, is not uncommon for the person who has halitosis to be unaware of the situation, and the problem is usually addressed for the first time by a partner, friend or family member. This scenario may cause some people to feel awkward and embarrassed. Having bad breath can affect self-confidence when talking to others and it often leads to social avoidance.3 It is now well known that people with bad breath often feel worried or anxious about their impression, as bad breath can affect the whole body image.2
Nevertheless, there’s nothing to be shy about, in many cases, the root cause for a foul breath can be eliminated with good oral hygiene, lifestyle changes and/or professional dental care.4
The sense of smell in human interactions
We humans constantly use our sense of smell as a mean to define and interact with the environment.
Smelling is useful to connect us with our surroundings and it is also closely linked to parts of the brain that process emotion and memory. Smelling can alert us from dangers —like a fire or a gas leak— and it allows us to discriminate between fresh and rotten matters —such as foods. Unpleasant and bad smells send pain signals to the brain to warn us of possible danger. So, if a person has smelly breath, other people unconsciously interpret that the odour may be a sign that there is something wrong with their physical, emotional or mental health.2
Bad breath can impact social or work interactions since people tend to notice one’s foul odour. Some people might feel insecure, others may even cover their mouth while talking, maintain a wider distance with other individuals or avoid social interactions completely. Certainly, treating bad breath can improve your overall health, social functioning and quality of life.5
Why does my breath smell?
In 90% of the cases, the origin of bad breath is in the oral cavity. The other 10% can be attributed to respiratory, digestive or chronic diseases, inappropriate diet or use of medications.3
There are over 500 bacterial species found in the mouth cavity, and most of them are capable of producing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) — these are smelly gases that cause bad breath.3
It is well established that poor oral hygiene allows for bacterial and food debris to build up in the teeth and the tongue, causing common dental conditions like caries and periodontal disease. Both of these conditions can increase the severity of halitosis.6
Other common causes of bad breath1,6
- Tobacco smoking
- Respiratory infections
- Middle ear infections
- Acute tonsillitis
- Chronic diseases — such as diabetes, kidney or liver insufficiency
To learn more about the root causes of bad breath, click here.
Tips to improve bad breath6
- Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day
- Perform gentle tongue cleaning daily
- Avoid greasy foods which can contribute to the accumulation of food debris
- Perform oral rinses with products containing ingredients that counteract bad breath, such as chlorhexidine