Bad breath in the medical terms is also known as halitosis. There can be many different things that can cause halitosis like it can be caused from not brushing your teeth to certain medical conditions.

Sometimes, a person's bad breath can blow you away - and he or she may not realize there's a problem. There are thoughtful ways of letting a person know that he or she has bad breath. You could offer mints or sugarless gum without having to say anything.

Causes of bad breath

Here are three common causes of bad breath:

1. Foods and drinks, such as garlic, onions, cheese, orange juice, and soda
2. Poor dental hygiene, meaning you don't brush and floss as you should
3. Smoking and other tobacco use

Bad breath can be caused by the poor oral hygiene because when you leave food particles in your mouth, these pieces of food can rot and start to smell. They may begin to collect bacteria, which can be smelly, too. Plus, by not brushing your teeth regularly, plaque (a sticky, colorless film) builds up on your teeth. Plaque is a great place for bacteria to live and yet another reason why breath can turn foul.

Other causes

For the majority of people, the single most common cause of their breath odor problem is associated with bacteria that live in their mouth. Bacteria, just like humans, go through their lives consuming foods and excreting wastes. The waste products produced by some oral bacteria are sulfur compounds and it is this type of odoriferous waste product that usually lies at the root of a person's breath problems. The stink associated with rotten eggs is caused by the sulfur compound hydrogen sulfide. The stinky smell emanating from feedlots and barnyards is one produced by the sulfur compound methyl mercaptan. The odor you associate with the ocean is in part due to the presence of dimethyl sulfide. And each of these sulfur compounds is also excreted as a waste product by the bacteria that live in our mouths.

Reference of the dentists

Together dentists refer to these compounds as volatile sulfur compounds. The term volatile simply describes the fact that these compounds evaporate readily, even at normal temperatures. The extreme volatility of VSC's explains how these compounds have the ability to cause offense those around us, instantly. While volatile sulfur compounds are the principle contributing agents of bad breath, the bacteria that live in our mouths also produce other waste products and some of these have their own unpleasant odors too. The types of bacteria that cause bad breath can find a suitable home in places other than just on the surface of a person's tongue. When you floss you may have noticed that at times you have dredged up a foul taste or odor. Maybe this odor is more noticeable as you floss between the teeth that are comparatively further toward the back of your mouth. These locations are places where the bacteria that create bad breath often find a cozy home. The taste and smell you get when flossing these locations is evidence of this.

Even in relatively healthy mouth bacteria can and do find anaerobic environments underneath the gum line, both around and in between teeth, in which to live. These anaerobic environments, however, are even more abundant and available in the mouths of people who have experienced periodontal disease. This is because periodontal disease can cause damage to the bone that surrounds a person's teeth. This bone destruction leads to the formation of deep spaces that lie between the teeth and gums. The deep recesses of periodontal pockets can be difficult, if not impossible, to clean effectively. This makes them an ideal anaerobic environment for the types of bacteria that cause bad breath.

Prevention of bad breathe

One should avoid to smoke or use tobacco products, of course. And take care of your mouth by brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day. One should brush the tongue, too, because bacteria can grow there. One should always do flossing once a day helps get rid of particles wedged between your teeth. Also, one should visit the dentist twice a year for regular checkups and cleanings. The way a person's breath smells can be a clue to what's wrong. For instance, if someone has uncontrolled diabetes, his or her breath might smell like acetone. If one has bad breath all the time and the reason can't be determined by your dentist, he or she may refer you to a doctor to make sure there is no other medical condition that could be causing it. Sometimes sinus problems, and rarely liver or kidney problems, can cause bad breath. Usually, there is a less complicated reason for a kid's bad breath like what one had for the lunch.