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Summary
There are many reasons why you might have bad breath. You can get it if you don't brush and floss regularly. Bacteria that build up in your mouth and between your teeth produce the bad odor. Other problems in your mouth, such as gum disease, dry mouth, or cavities, may also cause it. Sinusitis or problems with your nose may be to blame. You can also have bad breath if you eat some foods, like raw onions, garlic, or cabbage. And of course smoking causes its own bad smell. Some diseases and medicines can cause a specific breath odor.
Having good dental habits, like brushing and flossing regularly, help fight bad breath. Mouthwashes, mints or chewing gum may make your breath fresher. If you have a disease that causes the bad breath, treating the disease may help give you fresher breath.
- Halitosis (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
-
Smelling Sickness: Body Odor May Be Sign of Disease
(National Institutes of Health)
Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Ask Your Dental Hygienist about Understanding and Eliminating Bad Breath (American Dental Hygienists' Association) - PDF
- Oral Hygiene (Cleveland Clinic Foundation)
Specifics
- Acute Sinusitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Periodontitis (Merck & Co., Inc.)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Halitosis
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
Children
- Bad Breath (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Bad Breath (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
Teenagers
- What Causes Bad Breath? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Breath odor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Dental care - adult (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish