Gum disease can be another bad breath culprit. If your gums bleed frequently, you see pockets around your gums or your teeth feel loose, you should see a dentist to determine if you have diseased gums, Dr. Moretti said. Gum disease can cause bad breath because bacteria get stuck in little pockets around the gums, “making a real stink-a-thon,” Dr. Wolf said.
Don’t forget your tongue, tonsils and the rest of your body.
Odor-causing bacteria don’t just grow around the teeth and gums — they can also grow in little crevices on your tongue. If your tongue has a white or yellowish tinge to it, it likely harbors stinky bacteria, Dr. Moretti said. You may want to brush your tongue gently with your toothbrush or a tongue scraper after you brush your teeth to remove them, he suggested. Research has shown that tongue brushing plus regular brushing improves bad breath more than just tooth-brushing alone.
Tonsils are another little-known cause of bad breath, Dr. Duyka told me. Tonsils have crevices that harbor bacteria. Sometimes, the bacteria can mix with food debris and harden and become what are called tonsil stones, which look like little white bumps. You can’t prevent tonsil stones, Dr. Duyka said, but you can eliminate them by gently poking your tonsil with a blunt object or (clean) finger; by gargling with salt water; or by rinsing them with a water flosser.
In rare cases, bad breath can be caused by other kinds of illnesses or infections – tonsillitis, sinus or lung infections, liver cirrhosis, kidney diseases, pharyngitis or even mouth or neck cancer, Dr. Moretti said. If your bad breath doesn’t improve with other remedies, consider seeing your primary care physician or an ear, nose and throat doctor to rule out other causes, Dr. Duyka suggested.
I had no idea that bad breath was such a complex phenomenon. I may not be willing to give up garlic — apologies to my husband — but I’ll try to stay hydrated and, perhaps, invest in a tongue scraper to keep my mouth bacteria under control. Although bad breath can be unpleasant for those on the receiving end, remember that it’s common and it’s not the end of the world.
The Daily Rituals You Need
Nearly 2,000 Times readers shared their wellness “non-negotiables” with us — the little things they do each day that keep them going. They include daily walks, counting dogs, watching birds and hot baths.