General Health Information

In all honesty, dehydration and dry mouth big no-no’s when it comes to preventing bad breath.
Saliva levels decrease when the body is dehydrated which then allows
the anaerobic population to grow larger and cause an even greater
production of the sulfur compounds associated with halitosis problems.
Therefore, to stop bad breath before it becomes a problem, be sure to
avoid these behaviors/products known to cause dehydration and dry
mouth: alcohol, caffeine, smoking, tobacco, not drinking at least 1/2
ounce of water for every pound of body weight, and using stimulants
such as those found in diet pills or laxatives.

However, the typical source of a halitosis problem is the mouth and the
dozens of different types of anaerobic bacteria living in the oral
cavity. Gram negative anaerobic bacteria are generally responsible for
the production of sulfur compounds that quickly become gaseous and are
the literal sources of the odors associated with halitosis. Preventing bad breath boils down to controlling the population of gram negative bacteria.

Simple brushing and flossing will be sufficient in eliminating the layer of plaque and preventing bad breath
problems from beginning. However, if this simple bad breath treatment
is not performed, the plaque will harden and become tartar-which helps
the anaerobic bacteria grow even faster! Once tartar forms, treatment
for bad breath will necessarily include a visit to the dentist so they
can scrape away the hardened layer and eliminate the bacteria
population causing the gum disease and bad breath.