Bad Breath Causes and Treatment: Bad Breath is the unpleasant smell that comes from the mouth mostly due to lack of dental hygiene. It is also known as halitosis. It can happen occasionally, or it can be a chronic dental problem. What are the causes of bad breath? The most common causes are: *Food*: If we do not clean food stuck between our teeth then the debris of the food rot and produce an unpleasant smell. Sometimes foods like fish, spices, onion, garlic, and durian have a strong smell that lingers. These kinds of smell do not last long. Sometimes due to low intake of carbohydrate ketone which is a fruity acidic odor is produced in the mouth. It usually happens in diabetic patients. *Periodontal disease*: Due to the neglect of dental hygiene, plaque and tartar may build up on the surface of the tooth. Plaque and tartar act as a breeding ground for bacteria. These bacteria create a foul smell and may lead to gum disease or periodontal disease. These diseases worsen the problem of bad breath. *Smoking and drinking*: Smoking, chewing tobacco or drinking alcohol may leave chemicals in the mouth that have a foul smell. These smell do not wear off easily and may result in bad breath. *Dry mouth*: Saliva produced in the mouth checks the growth of bacteria. It also washes away leftover food in the mouth. People with a dry mouth do not have enough saliva in their mouth and hence develop bacterias which produce a foul smell. *Health Problems*: Some health problems and disease can cause bad breath. Example: Common cold, GERD, flu, thrush, diabetes, etc. Dental infections: Dental infections like cavity, abscess, the impacted tooth can create bad breath. *Early morning bad breath*: Our mouth stops producing saliva when we sleep. Due to lack of saliva, odor making bacteria is produced. It leads to bad breath early in the morning. *Pregnancy*: Pregnant women have morning sickness and nausea very often this creates a foul smell in their mouth. What are its symptoms? Most often people are not sure if they have bad breath. The best way to confirm bad breath is by asking a friend or family member and breathing close to their nose. Another way of testing bad breath is by licking the back of the palm and smelling it once the saliva dries up. Other symptoms of bad breath include having a sour taste in the mouth, having a dry mouth and a white coating in the mouth. Who provides treatment for bad breath? Every patient who has bad breath may seek treatment with a dentist. The dentist may assign the patient to a physician if he has bad breath in spite of having a healthy mouth. What are the treatments available? The dentists give the treatment of bad breath only after determining the cause. If the bad breath is because of poor dental hygiene, then the doctor may suggest scaling and cleaning of the teeth. The dentist may also suggest proper methods of brushing and flossing to keep the mouth clean and odor free. The dentist may recommend cleaning the tongue too as tongues may be a breeding ground for bacteria. Over and above that, the dentist may do the following: Suggest regular checkups and suggest good cleaning of the braces and dentures which can cause bad breath. Ask the patient to quit smoking, drinking alcohol and chewing tobacco as it may lead to bad health. Suggest chewing sugarless gums to temporarily hide the bad breath. Advise drinking water and keeping the mouth hydrated to get rid of bad breath. Offer treatment for periodontal disease so that bad breath problem caused by it can be eliminated. If the dentist finds that the patient has a healthy mouth, but he still suffers from a persistent bad breath, then he may refer the patient to a physician. Suggest an antibacterial mouthwash for rinsing of the mouth because it kills bacteria causing bad breath and is a good product for hiding bad breath for a short while.