What causes bad breath?

A list of the smelly sulfur compounds excreted as waste products by the bacteria that live in your mouth:

	Hydrogen sulfide is one waste product of oral bacteria.
	Another is methyl mercaptan, which is the stinky odor emanating from barnyards and feed lots.
	Another oral bacteria waste product is dimethyl sulfide, which is also associated with brackish ocean water.

These bacterial waste products are called "volatile sulfur compounds," or VSCs. The word volatile means that they easily turn into gasses, which, of course, is required for us to smell them.

There are some other bacterial waste products besides volatile sulfur compounds that contribute to odor. Here is a list of some of them:

	Putrescine -produced by decaying meat.
	Skatole - present in human feces.
	Isovaleric Acid - produced by sweaty feet.
	Cadaverine - the compound responsible for the smell of corpses.

Everyone has traces of these compounds in their breath. Usually the amounts are low enough so they aren't detected. But, as levels of these compounds rise, they can definitely become obnoxious.

Of the list above, putrescine, methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, and skatole are waste products of anaerobic bacteria. These bacteria prefer environments that have little or no oxygen. Too much oxygen may kill these bacteria.

It isn't practical or desirable to eliminate all the bacteria that grow in your mouth. Many of them are beneficial. What's important is that you keep a healthy balance of bacteria and minimize the numbers of odor-causing bacteria.

To minimize these bacteria, you can minimize anaerobic conditions in your mouth. Plaque, the thin, bacteria-laden film that grows on your teeth and also on your tongue, can protect the underlying bacteria from oxygen. The more plaque buildup you have, the more favorable environment your mouth is going to provide for these odor-causing bacteria. Oxygen, in this case, is a helpful disinfectant. Keep your mouth clean, and you permit oxygen to reach all the surfaces where bacteria can live and keep anaerobic, odor-causing bacteria to a minimum.

What foods promote bad breath?

The sulfur-containing compounds excreted by odor-causing bacteria are generally waste products of bacteria that are digesting proteins. Thus, as you consume high-protein foods, you are helping to create bad breath. Especially as you neglect to brush and floss, you help feed these bacteria for extended periods and thus will aggravate the odor in your mouth.

High protein foods that tend to lead to halitosis:

	Meat
	Seafood
	Eggs
	Dairy foods
	Nuts
	Peas and beans
	Cereal grains

High-protein foods have become more popular recently because of weight-control diets such as the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. Maybe the most sensible policy is to eat a normal, balanced diet, with adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats and oils.

Where do bad breath bacteria live?

These bacteria can live anywhere in your mouth. But their favorite environment is the tongue, with its deep crevices and papillae, especially the back of the tongue, which is somewhat protected. The crevices around and between the teeth also provide a protected area. So cleaning your tongue and the crevices around your teeth is an important aid to cure bad breath. If you have a tartar buildup, this also provides a hiding place for bacteria. This needs to be removed professionally.

Do you have bad breath? You're so close to it and you're probably used to the smell. Get an honest friend or perhaps a dental professional to answer the question for you.