Health Care and Bad Breath (Halitosis)
People who have bad breath can really stink up a room. The cause of their social faux pas is due primarily to poor oral health. The technical term is halitosis; but if you mention to anyone that they suffer from that particular issue, you might just get a blank stare. Most people, however, can easily identify with the term “bad breath.” In some parts of the world, the whole country might smell—likely because most of the inhabitants are living with halitosis. According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), more than 80 million people suffer from chronic halitosis, or bad breath. In most cases it originates from the gums and tongue. The odor is caused by wastes from bacteria in the mouth, the decay of food particles, other debris in your mouth and poor oral hygiene. The decay and debris produce a sulfur compound that causes the unpleasant odor. In many people, the millions of bacteria that live in the mouth (particularly on the back of the tongue) are the primary causes of bad breat