Bad Breath and Bacteria that Cause It

Bad breath is caused by excessive bacteria in the mouth. Scientific study and clinical research on bacteria has helped experts discover why bacteria cause bad breath and how to best eliminate it.

Commercials and ads tell us to pop a mint or use mouthwash to deal with bad breath. However, according to an article in Muscle Evolution, many of the mints and washes people use to combat bad breath actually cause bad breath or make it worse.

How so?

The bacteria that cause bad breath live and breed beneath the tongue's surface, on the tonsils and in the throat, not on the surface where it can be scraped or brushed off or dissolved with a wash or mint. Instead of getting rid of bad breath, many of these products contain alcohol, which dries out the mouth creating a more favorable environment for these odorous bacteria to grow.