Got bad breath? Here's how to get rid of it.

No one wants bad breath, but nearly all of us have experienced it before. "About 30% of the population struggle with bad breath on a consistent basis and no one is immune to it," says Dr. Christopher Pullins, a family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic.

One reason it's so common, he says, is that many of the things that cause bad breath are part of our everyday lives. The foods we eat, for instance, frequently affect mouth odor. Strong-smelling foods such as onions, fish, garlic, Brussels sprouts, potato chips, horseradish, coffee, citrus fruits, spicy foods, and cheese and other dairy products are especially likely to negatively impact breath. 

But no matter what's behind bad breath, it's possible to get rid of - or to at least significantly diminish.

What is bad breath? 

Bad breath is a common term that people use to refer to the oral health condition known as halitosis. "It's an unpleasant odor that often results from the food you eat, poor dental hygiene or an underlying medical condition," says Kasandra Heath, a registered dental hygienist at Mesa View Dental in St. George, Utah. 

It's frequently caused by the smelly sulfur compounds that are the result of broken-down proteins from bacteria that live in the mouth and especially on the tongue. 

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Why do some people get bad breath more easily than others?

While these bacteria exist everywhere and can live in anyone's mouth, some people experience bad breath more frequently than others because "causes of halitosis are multifactorial," says Pullins. 

He says that someone who lacks dental hygiene, for instance, is more likely to have more of these bacteria in their mouth than someone who brushes and flosses their teeth regularly. Ditto for people who smoke or those who eat odor-causing foods more than individuals who steer clear of such products. 

Someone taking medications or receiving treatment related to high blood pressure, chemotherapy, diabetes interventions and antihistamines may also more commonly experience stinky breath. 

"Certain medical conditions can cause bad breath as well," says Dr. Mirissa Price, an expert spokesperson at the American Dental Association and a pediatric dentist at Boston Children’s Hospital. 

Such conditions include dry mouth, periodontal disease, gastrointestinal disorders or respiratory tract conditions such as bronchitis, sinusitis or postnasal drip. Someone dealing with sleep disorders such as snoring or sleep apnea may also more frequently have bad breath because those conditions dry out the mouth at night – decreasing saliva production and thereby preventing the mouth from cleaning itself. 

Heath says that people who have acid reflux are also more likely to experience mouth odor "due to the backward flow of stomach acid and undigested food into the esophagus."

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How you can get rid of bad breath

Pullins says the best place to start to get rid of bad breath is proper dental hygiene through "flossing and teeth brushing all oral surfaces at morning and night and after meals." He adds that "regularly scheduled dental cleanings are also important in preventing periodontal disease." 

Heath agrees and says that mouthwash and paying special attention to keeping your tongue clean "can kill a lot of the bacteria as well." She adds that breath mints and chewing gum "can also work in a pinch, but be mindful that these will only help mask your bad breath and won't eliminate the root cause of the odor."

Price says it's also wise to avoid habits such as smoking and eating too much sugar as overconsumption of sugar and tobacco products can lead to tooth decay. She also advises keeping saliva flowing in the mouth as that's how the body naturally cleanses many of the odor-causing bacteria that live there. "Eat healthy foods that require a lot of chewing such as apples or celery because that can get saliva moving," she suggests. 

"And if you still have concerns about the cause of your bad breath," she adds, "it’s best to make an appointment to visit your dentist to determine anything else that might be the culprit."