Morning breath is the term that people commonly use to describe breath that smells bad when a person wakes up. It is a very common problem. The Academy of General Dentistry have estimated that 80 million people in the United States experience chronic bad breath.
Your dentist will tell you that everyone has some degree of morning breath. The reason, when you are asleep, your mouth begins to dry out. As it dries, odor-causing bacteria begin to form. Saliva also decreases when you sleep causing your breath to be at its worst upon rising.
Approximately 30% of the population complains of some sort of bad breath. Halitosis (Latin for "bad breath") often occurs after a garlicky meal or in the morning after waking. Other causes of temporary halitosis include some beverages (including alcoholic drinks or coffee) and tobacco smoking.
When you're awake your mouth usually produces enough saliva to break down food particles that allow odor-causing bacteria to grow. But when you're asleep, the saliva production slows down and the bacteria starts growing and produces what is called 'volatile sulfur compounds' or VSC which cause your mouth to stink.
Practice Proper Oral Health Care. Eliminating morning breath is possible if you practice proper dental hygiene. Brush, floss, clean your tongue and rinse with a non-alcoholic, antibacterial mouthwash or baking soda with water daily.
Poor dental hygiene is another major cause behind halitosis. If your partner isn't as diligent as he or she should be with brushing and flossing before bed and in the morning, the mouth can become a fertile growing field for bacteria. Additional causes of halitosis include: Smoking and chewing tobacco.
Everyone gets bad breath from time to time — especially after eating garlic, onions or other strong foods. But bad breath that doesn't go away (chronic halitosis) could mean you have an oral health issue or a condition that's affecting another part of your body.
Brushing your teeth properly for two minutes and flossing before bed will help — and there is no reason why you can't both pop to the bathroom and brush your teeth in the morning, then dash back to bed. However, the simplest way to get rid of funky morning breath is to keep a glass of water next to your bed.
People who mouth-breathe while they sleep are at higher risk of experiencing halitosis and may have a difficult time addressing the problem, despite proper brushing and flossing.
Getting older also makes us more likely to have dry mouths, which can contribute to bad breath. Decreased saliva production allows food particles, debris, and bacteria to linger around the teeth and gums and produce a noticeable odor.
The Truth about Bad Breath: Halitosis can be Hereditary. For a long time, many people try to weed out food, spices, beverages and habits that makes the breath smell stinky. Some people, however, have it tougher, as it is something they are highly prone to in their entire life.
Throughout the day, saliva helps wash away bacteria from the mouth that cause bad breath. However, when you sleep, saliva production decreases significantly and contributes to the foul smell.
SEVENTY-FIVE percent of Americans don't kiss their partner when they wake up because of dreadful morning breath, according to new research.
Mouth infections can cause bad breath. However, if your dentist has ruled out other causes and you brush and floss every day, your bad breath could be the result of another problem, such as a sinus condition, gastric reflux, diabetes, liver or kidney disease. In this case, see your healthcare provider.
That's because your body is already producing less saliva during the day, and that amount of saliva goes down even further at night. This creates an even more hospitable environment for odor-causing bacteria and may increase the pungency of your morning breath.
Martha Dawson, D.D.S, “poor brushing and flossing are probably the primary reason, but dry mouth, gum disease, and illness—like a sinus infection or post nasal drip—can also cause some funky breath.” If you've been frustrated that the mints and gum aren't working, you shouldn't be surprised: “Mints and gum will ...
Fungus or Moldy Smell: Microbial buildups, infections, or growths in the sinuses can result in breath that smells like fungus or mold. Patients with a sinus infection can experience thick mucus dripping to the back of the throat from the sinuses or nose.
However, kissing with morning breath has no negative health implications. The worst that can happen is embarrassment. If you're one of those who aren't bothered by morning breath (wow!), here's a few tips: Hygiene rules — This one doesn't even need to be said.
You could simply tell them that their breath is smelly, directly but politely. Bring up this sensitive topic with compassion and care, especially if it is someone close to you or you're worried about making them upset.
However, many people may be too embarrassed to ask a loved one if the problem needs to be addressed. Another possible reason is our natural inability to actually smell our own breath, caused by an opening in the back of the mouth behind the soft palate, called the pharynx, which connects it to the nose.
Bad Breath and Relationships. Bad breath and relationships are similar to oil and water: they don't mix. Halitosis can put a severe strain on all types of relationships, be it social, personal or intimate. And bad breath can be a key factor when beginning a new relationship or keeping one going.
If you want to be direct, you can do so in a few different ways. You could simply tell them directly to their face, which is okay if there are no other bystanders or friends around to judge and make jokes. Another way to tell them directly would be to send a simple text message.
Of the survey results, 85 per cent said they would be put off from dating someone if that person had bad breath—outranking poor manners, being late and making bad jokes. Furthermore, 80 per cent said they wouldn't go on a second date with someone if that person had bad breath on the first date.