Health City

Many health problems can affect our overall oral health.  Certain oral problems are related to other oral health problems that arise over a period of time.  For example, it is not uncommon for bad breath to be caused by a dry mouth.  Ironically enough, one of the symptoms of a dry mouth is bad breath.  A dry mouth is due to the decrease in production of saliva in the mouth.  The cause for a dry mouth can be due to many circumstances including:

□    Side effects of certain diseases

□    Side effect of certain medications

□    Side effects of certain medical treatments

□    Dehydration

□    Nerve damage

□    Damaged salivary glands

□    Hormonal changes

□    Lifestyle

Bad breath is commonly caused by inadequate oral hygiene, the foods we eat, unhealthy lifestyle habits, and underlying medical problems.  Bad breath is also caused by a decreased flow of saliva in the mouth.  This decreased production of saliva means a dry mouth.  Saliva is an important substance to have in the mouth.  Saliva plays an important role when it comes to digesting the food that we eat.  Saliva also helps to clean and rinse the mouth out of odor causing particles and bacteria that are within the mouth.  Saliva also neutralizes the acids that are within the mouth and washes away the dead cells away that accumulate on the tongue, cheeks, and gums.  If saliva didn’t do this job, then the cells would decompose and bad breath would be unavoidable.

Bacteria and infections prefer to grow in warm, dark, and somewhat moist places; therefore, inside the mouth of a person suffering from a dry mouth would be the perfect place.  Even though one may suffer from a dry mouth, there is always some moisture present.  This creates the perfect environment to promote the growth of the bacteria between the teeth, around the gums, and on the tongue.  As the bacteria begins to grow, the odor causing bacteria is expelled as bad breath.