Bacteria: The Hidden Cause of Bad Breath

Bad breath, or halitosis, is caused primarily by bacteria that live naturally in the mouth. These bacteria break down food particles and proteins, releasing foul-smelling sulfur compounds. Understanding how they work can help you control and prevent bad breath.

What Bacteria Cause Bad Breath?

The main culprits of halitosis are anaerobic bacteria, which thrive in oxygen-poor environments, such as the back of the tongue and deep gum pockets. Some of the most common include:

– Porphyromonas gingivalis – Linked to gum disease, it produces toxins that inflame the gums and contribute to chronic bad breath.

– Treponema denticola – Found in deep gum pockets and breaks down proteins, releasing foul-smelling gases.

– Fusobacterium nucleatum – Causes plaque buildup and contributes to periodontal disease and bad breath.

– Prevotella intermedia – Associated with infections and inflammation, it thrives in areas of the mouth with poor hygiene.

How do these bacteria cause odor?

When these bacteria feed on food debris, dead cells and proteins in the mouth, they produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) such as:

Hydrogen sulfide (smells like rotten eggs). Methyl mercaptan – Smells like rotting cabbage). Dimethyl sulfide (Causes persistent bad breath, even when the mouth is clean).

How to reduce odor-causing bacteria?

Visit a dentist for a bad breath test. Then halitosis treatment can be maintained at home. In addition, it is important to follow these tips:

1. Brush and floss daily to remove food debris and plaque where bacteria thrive.
2. Clean your tongue, use a tongue cleaner to remove bacteria on the back of the tongue, a major source of bad odor.
3. Use an antibacterial mouthwash, look for one with chlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride or zinc compounds to kill bacteria and neutralize CVAs.
4. Stay hydrated, saliva naturally washes away bacteria. Dry mouth allows bacteria to multiply.
5. Visit the halitosis dentist for maintenance and tongue detoxification.

Dra. Sonia Olivares

Halitosis treatments