Causes of Chronic Bad Breath

Intra-Oral

Most Bad Breath that people experience, some 90-95% of it, comes from problems in the oral cavity. Poor oral hygiene, broken fillings, gum disease and the effects of smoking are but a few of these problems. This is why we encourage patients to have a thorough dental exam to help to more accurately locate Inta-Oral sources of their problem.

Extra-Oral

Certain medical conditions like diabetes, chronic sinusitis, lung infections, digestive problems and certain prescription drugs are common sources of Bad Breath, even chronic Bad Breath. For this reason our clinical evaluation always begins with a thorough medical history. This review helps to eliminate certain medical conditions as sources of chronic Bad Breath.

Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC)

While you don't need to remember the name, do remember that the source of your troubles is in fact bacteria doing three separate things in your mouth:

1. bacteria cause cavities
2. bacteria cause gum disease
3. bacteria help produce odor (gases called VSCs)

Very simply, the bacteria in your mouth attacks tissues, breaks them down and odor (VSC gases) is released.

You already knew about cavities and gum disease, yet the dental community just recently understood how the odor (VSC gases) is produced and we now know this odor (VSC gases) is responsible for over 90% of your Bad Breath.