The worst part is that you don't even realize until someone points it out. If you are lucky, there will be minimum casualties and if not, your friends will run as fast as their legs could carry them, without a single backward glance. OUCH!!! That definitely hurts.

Bad breath is always a bad news; it happens to be the biggest deal breaker irrespective of the reason behind it and speaks badly about the person carrying them around. It puts you into an unwanted spotlight where the people you deal with tend to look down upon you. They would judge you harshly and would cut you off from their lives if the problem persists. Not to forget the awkward situations and the stigma attached to the tag of being a social outcast.

The major drawback is the lost opportunities in your personal and professional sphere. Imagine your clients & colleagues avoiding you at meetings and office get-togethers. Your girlfriend or boyfriend breaking off with you just because they don't want to live with this anymore. The loss is unbearable and may scar the person for life. As if the non-acceptance by the society wasn't bad enough, people will actually start shunning you. They call you names and make fun of you, leading you further into a depressive state of mind. Unable to make progress in life or find love. This may sound cruel, but that happens to be a fact in the image-conscious society we live in.

Why should anyone suffer so much for something that was unintentional and innocently done? Yes, many times the causes of bad breath are some underlying health issue that has been either left unattended or haven't been diagnosed yet. The best you can do, under the circumstances, is getting the next available appointment with your Dentist without wasting any more time. Get a thorough checkup done and let the expert find the source of the problem. It can be anything from a poor oral hygiene habit to a bigger dental problem. Once the Dentist identifies the issue, it will be easier to treat and eradicate the foul breath forever and help you reclaim your normal life back.

Root causes of bad breath (halitosis) can be any of the below-stated reasons;

Food: Certain food articles like onion, garlic and hot spices can enter the bloodstream once the food is digested. This, in turn, is carried all the way to your lungs, causing a distinct smell from your mouth. Also the other food intake we have throughout the day stay back in our mouth as tiny particles leading to bacteria growth and bad breath.

Tobacco products: All types of tobacco products leave an odour in the mouth. Smokers and tobacco users are more prone to gum diseases that result in emitting foul smell from the mouth.

Poor dental hygiene: Improper dental cleanliness, lack of regular flossing and brushing fails to remove the food particles from the teeth and tongue causing a plaque build-up. This build-up results in a bad breath until the mouth is cleansed completely.

Dry mouth: A mouth condition called dry mouth or xerostomia causes the saliva production in the mouth to decrease leading to bad breath. It usually occurs during the sleep, leading to morning breath. The chronic dry mouth can occur due to issues pertaining to salivary glands and related diseases.

Oral Infection: Tooth decay, gum infection or mouth sores can also lead to foul smell to emanate. Sometimes unhealed oral surgeries also smell bad before it heals completely. A visit to a dentist is the best bet.

Medications: There are also few medicines that can cause a dry mouth in the patients suffering from chronic illnesses. The chemical present in the medicines break down in the body and carries a bad breath.

Other health issues…!

Preventing bad breath!!

1) Brush and floss teeth twice every day. One should also to brush or scrub the tongue to remove surface bacteria.

2) Visit your Dentist regularly for checkups.

3) Clean dentures thoroughly every night.

4) Quit smoking and chewing tobacco.

5) Keep the mouth hydrated by drinking adequate water.

6) Mouthwash helps kill bad breath-causing bacteria and masks the bad breath.

7) Chewing on sugar-less mint or parsley also helps to some extent.

8) For issues related to medical or chronic ailments, a visit to the expert is mandatory.

Most of the time, the bad breath condition is curable and can be treated with proper treatment and care. Even though this issue is not life-threatening, it certainly can threaten you standing in your social and professional circles. It is better to take preventative measures as soon as the problem is identified.