Morning breath is unpleasant, to put it lightly. It is even more so when your offensive exhalations continue past the morning and taint the rest of your day. When brushing and flossing do not adequately eliminate your bad breath, the embarrassment may be coupled with anxiety as you try to figure out why. To help you determine the cause, we visit some of the common explanations behind bad breath.

Finding the Source

Bacteria

You may know that oral bacteria, which contribute to dental plaque formation, are the cause behind dental diseases like tooth decay and gum disease. Some of these germs are also responsible for generating your bad breath by releasing volatile sulfur compounds through metabolization. These same kinds of compounds are responsible for other familiar bad smells, including the stench of rotten eggs, feed lots, and barnyards.

Sleeping

Your saliva is your mouth’s natural defense against one of its biggest threats, oral bacteria. When you breathe excessively through your mouth, as often happens during sleep, these germs can gather in force. Even if you breathe normally, however, your saliva production naturally decreases when you sleep, thus the common phenomenon of malodorous morning breath.

Skipping breakfast

Eating a well-balanced breakfast is advisable for any number of reasons, one of which happens to be helping to eliminate the odor that can grow in your mouth overnight. Biting, chewing, and swallowing instigate saliva production after a nighttime of dryness, helping to wash away these germs. Try eating before brushing your teeth every morning to increase your dental hygiene’s effectiveness.

Call Your Dentist

In some cases, chronic bad breath (halitosis) can signify the presence of an oral or systemic illness. Aside from tooth decay and gum disease, foul odors can also be a sign of kidney failure, respiratory tract illness, diabetes, and other diseases. If your bad breath persists in spite of your efforts to eliminate it, then schedule a dental consultation as soon as possible in case your smile is in trouble.