Why do we wake up with bad breath: What Causes Morning Breath and How Do You Get Rid of It?

10.04.202316.07.2023 by alexxlab

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Prevention, Causes, Treatment, and More

Morning Breath: Prevention, Causes, Treatment, and More

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Medically reviewed by Christine Frank, DDS — By Ana Gotter — Updated on March 27, 2018

Waking up with morning breath isn’t a fun way to start your day. But it’s extremely common, and most people experience it at some point. Fortunately, it can be treated like all other causes of halitosis (bad breath).

There are a number of different causes of morning breath, but the two biggest causes are dry mouth and bad oral hygiene.

Dry mouth

If you have good oral hygiene, dry mouth is most likely to blame. Saliva is responsible for removing the bacteria that can cause bad breath. When we sleep, saliva production decreases significantly. Certain medications can cause dry mouth, making morning breath even worse.

Poor oral hygiene

Poor oral hygiene is another common cause. Our mouths are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If you’re not brushing or flossing effectively, food particles can get stuck in crevices on the surface on the tongue, between the teeth, or along our gum tissue.

The bacteria in your mouth will break down those food particles, which releases the lovely bad breath come morning time.

Morning breath can be a symptom of periodontal disease, especially if poor oral hygiene goes unchecked. Periodontal disease affects the gums, causing infections in pockets beneath the teeth that can cause strong, persistent halitosis. Periodontal disease —which starts as gingivitis — will need to be treated by your dentist.

Eating certain foods

What you put into your body can result in morning breath. Eating strong-smelling foods in the evening like garlic or raw onions can cause morning breath the next day, even if you brush your teeth well.

Tobacco

Tobacco use — particularly smoking — is also directly linked to both morning breath and general halitosis. It can dry out your mouth and make you more prone to gum disease. Add the smoke smell on top, and it can be a recipe for potent breath.

GERD

People with gastrointestinal reflux (GERD) — also known as acid reflux — may experience bad breath due to stomach acid washing back up in their esophagus when they sleep at night.

In many cases, morning breath can be treated at home with a combination of better oral care and lifestyle changes.

Maintaining impeccable oral hygiene is both the best quick fix and long-term solution for bad breath of any kind. Brush your teeth immediately before you go to bed at night, and don’t eat or drink anything afterward. Doing so can introduce food particles that will be broken down over night. Floss your teeth and use an antiseptic mouthwash after using a tongue scraper.

If you wear a retainer or other orthodontic gear, clean it daily. Brush your teeth as soon as you’re awake to eliminate any remaining morning breath.

If you’re smoking or using tobacco, stop immediately.

Sugar-free gum may also be helpful, especially if you’re on the go and experiencing recurrent bad breath along with morning breath. Sugar-free gum doesn’t give the bacteria in your mouth sugar to thrive on. It can also help to stimulate the flow of saliva and freshen your breath simultaneously.

Your dentist will need to treat periodontal disease with deep cleanings. This will likely include a scaling and root planing procedure, where your dentist removes plaque and calculus from the teeth and gums. Depending on how advanced the infection is, surgery may be required.

For those experiencing bad breath as a result of GERD, your doctor can prescribe acid-reducing medication that you can take at night before you sleep. They also may recommend sleeping in a more upright position to reduce acid in the esophagus.

Morning breath can be treated, but most people would prefer to avoid it altogether.

What you put in your body matters a great deal:

Drink lots of water, especially before you go to bed at night. This keeps you hydrated, preventing dry mouth and the resulting bad breath.
Avoid strong-smelling foods at night, like garlic or onion, and skip out on coffee (even decaf) once the afternoon is over. Ultimately, a healthy, well-balanced diet will help your overall health and can reduce morning breath.
Giving up tobacco can improve your breath instantly, day and night.

It’s imperative to practice good oral hygiene on a regular basis to both treat and prevent morning breath. Brush your teeth for two minutes before you go to bed before flossing and using an antiseptic mouth rinse to kill off any extra bacteria. You should also use a tongue scraper to keep your tongue clean.

If you’ve followed all the prevention methods and home treatments and nothing seems to work, make an appointment with your dentist. They can help you determine the cause of your morning breath and identify the best treatment options moving forward.

Last medically reviewed on March 26, 2018

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Auger S. (n.d.). Morning breath: prevention, treatment, and tips.
colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/conditions/bad-breath/morning-breath-prevention-treatment-tips-0516
Bad breath. (2012).
ada.org/~/media/ADA/Publications/Files/for_the_dental_patient_sept_2012.ashx?_ga=2.177955109.1869501281.1520178547-1452668450.1496595625
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Bad breath.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bad-breath/symptoms-causes/syc-20350922

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Medically reviewed by Christine Frank, DDS — By Ana Gotter — Updated on March 27, 2018

What Causes Morning Breath and How to Treat It | Mountain Top Periodontics & Implants

Eww, that smell! If you awake with morning breath, chances are someone notices it and has remarked how awful it is. Or maybe you’ve noticed it and you’re covering your mouth so other people don’t get a whiff of it. But why do you have morning breath to begin with? And how do you get rid of it for good?

Causes of Bad Breath

Bad breath, called halitosis, is pretty common. The Academy of General Dentistry states that somewhere around 80 million people suffer from chronic bad breath. Those who do not brush, floss, and visit the dentist regularly are more likely to have halitosis than people with good oral hygiene habits. People who take medications, suffer from dry mouth, and those who breathe through their mouths instead of their noses may suffer from bad breath. Even if none of these things apply to you, you can still suffer from bad breath due to eating certain foods or first thing in the morning.

Morning breath is often caused by the lack of saliva in your mouth. 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.

What Is Morning Breath and Why Do You Have It?

If you mouth breathe, chances are you mouth breathe while sleeping and that causes your mouth to dry out. Dry mouth equals little saliva, which causes morning breath.

Related Article:
Mouth Breathing Causes Tooth Decay

Link Between Bad Breath and Health Problems

Bad breath isn’t just an inconvenience. It can be a sign of gingivitis and periodontitis, which can lead to other more serious concerns such as stroke and heart disease. In fact, the toxins in the mouth bacteria can be so bad, they’ve been implicated in Alzheimer’s and oral cancer. If you’re dealing with bad breath, you should speak to your periodontist, Dr. Jeanne Salcetti, about it. She can determine if you need further treatment gum disease.

Bye, Bye Morning Breath

You can reduce the effects of morning breath by practicing good oral hygiene, especially before bed. Brushing and flossing helps get rid of pockets of food that can harbor bacteria. You can also clean your tongue to remove large amounts of bacteria that have gathered to give you morning breath during the night.

To clean your tongue, you’ll need a tongue scraper, a toothbrush with soft bristles, or even a spoon. If your tongue is pink and shiny, it isn’t harboring much bacteria, but if it has a white film covering it, it’s a sign you have bad breath. If you need confirmation, lick your clean wrist and let your wrist dry. Then, smell it. If your breath is stinky, your wrist will be stinky too.
Get rid of the film by either gently scraping your tongue with the tongue scraper or the spoon. Or, alternatively, you can brush your tongue to get it clean. That way, you’ll have less of a chance of having morning breath when you wake up.

See Your Dentist Regularly

Since bad breath isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s important to take care of it, especially if you have chronic bad breath. Seeing your dentist regularly, practicing good oral hygiene, and cutting down on sugar and carbohydrate-laden food is a good way to keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you have concerns about gum disease and halitosis, be sure to see a periodontist who can address those problems.

If you are suffering from morning breath, visit the office of Mountain Top Periodontics & Implants.

We can help.

Causes of bad breath and how to get rid of it

Bad breath after sleeping or eating is a fairly common phenomenon. If the unpleasant smell disappears after brushing your teeth and does not appear for a long time, then there is nothing to worry about. But in some cases, even toothpaste can not cope with it. And this is a serious symptom that needs to be paid attention to. We recommend that you make an appointment with the specialists of the Diamond Star Aesthetic Dentistry Center as soon as possible.

Why there is bad breath

In the morning, almost all adults and even children have an unpleasant smell, which is associated with physiological processes in the body. At night, less saliva is produced and mild dehydration occurs. Anaerobic bacteria accumulated in the mouth produce a foul-smelling gas. It is usually enough to drink a glass of water in the morning, brush your teeth, and fresh breath is immediately restored. But sometimes this does not happen, and the person experiences unpleasant symptoms throughout the day. And this already speaks of a disease – halitosis.

Causes of halitosis

The first is oral, which includes 80% of cases. We are talking about diseases of the oral cavity and nasopharynx. The second is called systemic, as it is associated with pathologies of internal organs. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis. Therefore, when halitosis appears, we advise you to make an appointment with a dentist who will conduct a thorough examination and begin treatment. If necessary, you will be referred for a consultation with a specialist.

Oral halitosis

Accompanied by strong odor from the mouth, which appears as a result of:

dental diseases – stomatitis, caries, pulpitis, gingivitis, as well as wisdom teeth eruption
ENT diseases – inflammation of the tonsils, adenoids and nasal mucosa
dry mouth

Removable and non-removable dentures can also be a source of bad breath if hygiene is poor. Therefore, it is very important to brush them thoroughly with a brush at least twice a day, and preferably after each meal. Do not forget to rinse your mouth with special refreshing solutions, use floss and irrigator.

Systemic form of halitosis

As a rule, bad breath accompanies diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, liver, kidneys, endocrine system, etc. It also occurs due to taking certain medications, as well as as a result of bad habits – Smoking and alcohol abuse. But there are other reasons:

the smell of acetone or rotting apples appears in children and adults with type I and II diabetes
the smell of ammonia can indicate problems with the kidneys
sweet smell – a symptom of liver disease
sour smell usually due to bronchial asthma
A putrid odor accompanies inflammation of the intestines

Basic treatments

Usually, to get rid of bad breath, it is enough to carry out professional hygiene in the chair at the Diamond Star Center for Aesthetic Dentistry. It will remove soft and hard plaque – the source of diseases of the teeth and gums. In addition, after the procedure, even caries at the stain stage is clearly visible on cleaned teeth. The doctor will promptly carry out treatment and install a seal.
As a rule, a strongly pronounced smell appears with inflammation of the gums. Using ultrasound, the doctor will clean periodontal pockets from plaque and prescribe therapy.

Our recommendations

Many problems can be avoided if halitosis is prevented in time. Here are some tips to help you keep your breath fresh.

Quality Hygiene
This is not only obligatory brushing of teeth in the morning and evening, but also the use of floss, floss, irrigator. Do not forget to clean the plaque from the tongue and, if possible, rinse your mouth with a special solution after eating.
Regular preventive examination
Once every six months, you need to visit the dentist and undergo professional hygiene. The doctor will perform a cleaning that will protect your teeth from caries and bad breath.
Normalize your water intake
It has been proven that a person needs to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of clean water daily. It is necessary for the normal functioning of all body systems.
Proper diet
Your menu must include not only fresh berries, fruits and vegetables, but also green tea. Try to eat as little fried foods as possible.

Specialists of the Diamond Star Aesthetic Dentistry Center will take care of you – they will identify and eliminate the cause of the unpleasant odor and restore fresh breath.

Make an appointment

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Bad breath – causes, types, how to get rid of halitosis

Have you noticed bad breath? The medical term for this problem is halitosis. In general, this is a sign of improper oral hygiene, dental or other sores. Usually the smell appears for a while or lasts throughout the day, it can be slightly noticeable or distinct.

Together with our doctor Elizaveta Belova, we will tell you what can cause bad breath and how to get rid of it.

Contents

Smell from the mouth from disease
Types of halitosis
How to freshen your breath quickly
How to get rid of the smell

Why adults get bad breath

Fragrant food 🧄
Smoking
Poor oral hygiene
Dryness of the oral mucosa
Medications

If you’ve eaten garlic, onions, cabbage, or heavily curried foods, we’ve got bad news – you can’t avoid halitosis. The reason is volatile sulfur compounds, which are formed during the digestion of food or after drinking alcohol. They smell unpleasantly of rotten eggs and bring pronounced discomfort to those around them.

These substances are absorbed into the esophagus/stomach, through the bloodstream into the lungs, and then out when we breathe. Therefore, rinsing or brushing your teeth will not stop halitosis until they are removed from the blood. An unpleasant smell can quickly disappear, or it can be persistent and last up to 3 days 😮 Chewing gum will help here a little – except that it will add notes of mint or other flavor to an unpleasant amber .

Halitosis is caused not only by substances from tobacco smoke deposited in the oral cavity. Smokers often suffer from gum disease, and they do not contribute to fresh breath. Therefore, it is better to get rid of this bad habit.

When we eat, a sticky coating of 90% bacteria forms on the teeth. The product of their excretion is the same ill-fated hydrogen sulfide, and the more it is, the more intense the smell. Therefore, high-quality teeth cleaning is our everything. It is also necessary to thoroughly clean artificial structures: braces, crowns, removable and non-removable dentures. Use dental floss or a mono-bundle brush to clean the interdental spaces and don’t forget about the tongue – bacteria and food particles can accumulate on it.

One of the functions of saliva is to wash away odor-causing particles. Most often, the mucous membrane dries up during sleep, especially with clogged sinuses. Daytime dryness of the mucosa can be caused by some diseases (diabetes, Sjögren’s syndrome) or pathologies of the salivary glands. Bad breath after sleep is observed in most people – and this is the norm. In this case, simply brushing your teeth with toothpaste or eating something hard, such as an apple, is enough.

Some of these have the side effect of dry mouth. Others, when split, release substances that enter the bloodstream, and then into the lungs.

Some drugs cause halitosis:

antidepressants,
certain medicines to lower blood pressure,
inhalation preparations for the treatment of bronchial asthma,
drugs for angina, such as nitroglycerin.

Most common causes of halitosis

Odors from problems with teeth and gums

Halitosis can occur due to various diseases of the oral cavity:

Plaque Food debris and microbes form a plaque film on enamel or in hard-to-reach interdental spaces. Plaque hardens into tartar, continues to rot, and a rotten smell appears.
Plaque on the tongue Our tongue is made up of many papillae. Remains of food can clog between them, and pathogenic bacteria multiply, leading to inflammation of the tongue – glossitis.
Caries Carious formations destroy dental tissues, forming a cavity in which plaque accumulates and rots. The smell will be especially bright with pulpitis – inflammation of the neurovascular bundle in the tooth cavity.
Inflammatory gum disease – superficial inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) or the formation of deep periodontal pockets (periodontitis) Infected gums become inflamed, an abscess is formed with a fistulous tract through which pus comes out.
Alveolitis Complication after tooth extraction – tooth socket does not heal. Food remains accumulate in it, which causes an unpleasant smell and taste.

Visit the dentist!

If the cause of halitosis of the mouth is dental disease, only a dental appointment will help get rid of bad breath. The dental hygienist will remove plaque formations to stop the reproduction of pathogenic microflora, and the therapist will treat caries or inflammation of the gums.

Odors from other diseases

ENT diseases

Often bad breath occurs in chronic tonsillitis. Pus accumulates in the palatine tonsils – the source of oral halitosis. This problem can also be from other respiratory diseases: post-nasal syndrome, sinusitis and other types of sinusitis, laryngitis, bronchitis or lung infections.

Diseases of the stomach, intestinal tract, endocrine or urinary system

Another unpleasant smell arises from such diseases:

Diabetes mellitus – with complications of the disease, the smell of acetone is felt.
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) – since this disease causes the contents of the stomach to be thrown into the esophagus, the smell will be sour.
Gastritis with an increase or decrease in acidity, stomach ulcer, biliary dyskinesia, liver failure – belching with the smell of rotten egg is often observed.
Kidney failure or liver disease – in patients with these diseases, breath smells like ammonia (urine odor).

Oncopathology

Often putrid breath is observed in cancer patients. This is due to the fact that the decay products of the tumor enter the blood, and the organs of the digestive system are also damaged.

And why does the child have bad breath?

Very common cause of halitosis in children – infection from foreign objects (beads, buttons, small parts of toys).

Another common cause is adenoids . These are overgrowths of lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx. They block the nasal passages. As a result, the child breathes mainly through the mouth, the mucous membrane dries up and saliva does not wash away the sources of “aromas”: pathogenic bacteria and plaque.

Children often brush their teeth poorly or do not brush them at all, so it is important for parents to control this process.

If the child does not have dental diseases, diseases of the digestive tract or metabolic disorders must be excluded.

Types of halitosis

True – sources of odor in the mouth or in the ENT organs.
Hematogenous – molecules of odorous substances circulate in the blood and are released during respiration.
Pseudogynosis – it seems that the breath is stale, but those around do not feel it.
Halitophobia – persistent complaints of halitosis in the complete absence of problems in this part. This is already a psychosomatic disorder that requires the consultation of a psychotherapist.

In general, this is a common problem 😒

Halitosis is quite common: 30% of people suffer from it in one form or another.

So it’s no surprise that store shelves are overflowing with chewing gum, mint, mouthwash, and other products designed to combat bad breath.

5 quick ways to freshen your breath

Eat an apple or a carrot 🥕

Any other fruit or vegetable that smells good will also work. While you chew it, your teeth will be cleaned of plaque, and the aroma will kill the unpleasant amber.

Chew gum, aromatic herbs or spices

The secret of effectiveness is aromatic oils. They are found in dill, parsley, basil, mint, lemon balm, as well as in citrus peels, coffee beans, needles. The best spices are: anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves.

Brush your teeth and don’t forget your tongue

It is advisable to use toothpaste with a strong mint flavor. There are special toothbrushes and scrapers for cleaning the tongue. At worst, you can remove plaque with a teaspoon.

Use rinse aid

If this is not available, a solution of soda or salt (1 tsp per glass of water) will do. It is important to rinse your mouth and throat very thoroughly, in several passes. The rinse aid will wash away plaque, reduce acidity, and bacteria do not like this.

Drink some water

Water replenishes the fluid in the body, improves metabolism, and intensive production of saliva begins. Saliva washes away plaque formations, food debris.

These methods are not a panacea. If halitosis is caused by internal problems, you just have to try to stay away from the interlocutor, do not breathe into his face, cover your mouth with your palm. If you ate onions or garlic, try to feed them to your interlocutor (just kidding).

What to do – get rid of bad breath

The first thing to do if bad breath is not associated with the intake of “fragrant” food is to make an appointment with the dentist. Perhaps it will be enough for you to carry out a professional cleaning: remove tartar with ultrasound and thoroughly clean hard and soft plaque using the ClinPro or Air Flow procedure.

In any case, during the examination, the doctor will see all the problems and help get rid of them… In the inflammatory process, local treatment, physiotherapy will help, with deep periodontal pockets they are cleaned – curettage. In case of caries, it will be enough to clean the carious cavity and close it with a filling. If caries has managed to turn into pulpitis, the pulp is removed, the root canals are cleaned and sealed.

At the end of the appointment, you will be given recommendations on oral care at home, as well as on the rules of individual oral hygiene. The doctor will tell you how to properly brush your teeth, pick up a toothbrush, advise a suitable paste, rinse, dental floss, help you choose an irrigator. If, after all dental measures, the breath does not become fresh, consult a therapist. He will help determine the cause or refer you to a narrow specialist: for example, a gastroenterologist or endocrinologist.

How to Prepare for Your Doctor’s Appointment – Patient Reminder

Take a relative or friend with you to the appointment, it will be easier for them than for you to describe the nature and intensity of the unhealthy smell. Stop eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum 3 hours before your consultation. Also, do not brush your teeth or freshen your breath with a spray.