Radio Shows | Whew! Talk About Your Bad Breath! | mp3 … wma … wav

I can't tell you how many times I've come across someone with bad breath and thought I sure hope mine is nothing like that.

I know. It's one of those social faux pas you just don't want to have. That's why I keep mints or gum with me at all times.

There are lots of causes of bad breath or halitosis. Most people probably think halitosis is something you can prevent and in some cases that's true. It's affected by what we eat, not brushing and even being on a diet can cause it.

Chronic bad breath can indicate bigger problems such as a respiratory tract infection, sinus infections, as well as gastrointestinal, liver or kidney ailments. But new findings reveal the primary causes of bad breath are actually bacteria.

Over one hundred different bacteria are found on the dorsal surface of the tongue.

One in particular is Solobacterium moorei which in one study was isolated on the tongues of the vast majority of people with halitosis and only rarely on those without it.

This bacterium is capable of producing metabolites like volatile sulfur compounds that can cause bad breath. It's also associated with root canal infections and other periodontal diseases.

That may be the bigger worry because there's evidence periodontal infections are associated with an increased risk of oral cancer. The metabolites they produce are known carcinogens.

So what can you do if you have halitosis? Well brushing, flossing and scraping your tongue will help. If it persists, see your doctor for a check up.

One challenge I haven't figured out is how to tell someone they have bad breath. There is no easy way to do that.

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