Is bad breath a chronic disease?

Bad breath may become chronic as a condition in which the mouth smells foul regardless of brushing, flossing, or rinsing. Bad breath in the morning is not considered to be chronic bad breath, and bad breath that you may experience after eating spicy food is not considered to be a chronic condition either. Bad breath is very common with nearly half of the adult population reporting that they suffer from bad breath either occasionally or continuously. About half of these people described their bad breath as an acute or chronic problem. If you are concerned about chronic bad breath, your first step should be to re-evaluate the way you brush your teeth as most cases of bad breath stem from the way you brush your mouth. In addition to brushing your teeth, you should pay extra attention to cleaning your tongue, as it is home to a large amount of bacteria that may cause bad breath. Scrape the tongue, then brush, floss and finally use a bad breath mouthwash. Remember, brushing alone cleans only 25%. Rinsing with mouthwash will allow you to clean your mouth almost completely. If you are concerned about chronic bad breath, you should see your dentist or hygienist. Chronic bad breath can cause significant social anxiety and often goes untreated because people are often too embarrassed to mention it to a dentist. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to talk to a licensed dentist about your concerns about bad breath. He or she is likely to be able to diagnose and treat bad breath.