What Are the Causes of Dry Mouth & Halitosis?

Bad breath can be embarrassing, and dry mouth is uncomfortable. No one wants to realize he's the person that no one wants to be around because of an offensive smell. Most people experience halitosis at some point, but persistent halitosis in combination with dry mouth may need medical attention.

Effects

• Brushing teeth will not always cure dry mouth and halitosis.

  Most cases of halitosis stem from two sources: food particles in the mouth and a lack of saliva production (which also leads to dry mouth).

  Even if you brush and floss your teeth every day, if you don;t brush after every meal, you could inadvertently contribute to your bad breath and dry mouth. When you brush your teeth, focus on getting the back of your teeth (lots of people avoid this area) and run the brush over your tongue once or twice.

Identification

• To find out if your halitosis and dry mouth are caused by a lack of saliva production from leftover food particles, use a tongue scraper. According to Dr. Dan Peterson of Family Gentle Dental Care, this is one of the first tests a dentist will perform when a patient complains about persistent halitosis associated with dry mouth.

  Using the scraper as directed, gently run the scraper over the surface of your tongue. Most people should collect at least a little residue, but if you notice a significant amount of particles left on the scraper, your problem can likely be treated with more vigorous oral hygiene. Tongue scrapers can be found in most pharmacies.

Causes

• Hundreds of medications list dry mouth as a side effect.

  Persistent halitosis and dry mouth is usually the result of medication or a medical problem. According to the Mayo Clinic, depression and anxiety medications, antihistamines, decongestants and other common medications can cause dry mouth. If the more common, temporary remedies for halitosis and dry mouth don't fix your problem, visit a doctor to find out if your problem is caused by a medication. Bad breath and dry mouth can also be related to sinus and tonsilar infections, lung, kidney and liver diseases, blood disorders, diabetes or menstruation.

Prevention/Solution

• Chewing on pleasant smelling herbs and spices such as mint leaves, cardamom seeds, parsley or cloves can give your breath a temporary fresh feeling, and induce more saliva production, which is a quick and easy remedy for bad breath and halitosis. Many juices have too much sugar in them to help fight bad breath, but a freshly squeezed lemon in a cup of water will create a natural remedy for bad breath. Similarly, eating foods that are rich in zinc helps to keep the anaerobic bacteria that causes bad breath in check and encourages saliva production.

Misconceptions

• Halitosis is not hereditary and can always be treated, usually just by taking simple preventive measures. According to the American Dental Association, breath mints, gum, mouthwashes and spray do not cure bad breath. They only temporarily cover up the problem and usually make breath worse by drying out the mouth and leading to increased dry mouth.