or inconvenience. It is not always possible to brush teeth after a meal away from home, and is inevitable if you have enjoyed an exotic dish full of aromatic spices. Similarly, flossing can be most inconvenient, though traces of food stuck inside the mouth, will lose no time in raising a stink!

Not all causes of halitosis are beyond reasonable control. Some people may develop bad habits of failing to brush and floss before retiring for the night, or may simply not drink enough water. Irregular visits to dentists will inevitably lead to bacterial colonies finding refuge in the gums, and they can be awfully difficult to dislodge completely. There are some beneficial bacteria which reside in a healthy oral cavity, but the trick is to keep the harmful ones away. Overall, a combination of adequate personal hygiene and regular dental examinations should suffice to rule out the usual causes of halitosis.

Metabolic Causes of Halitosis

Diabetes can be free of symptoms in its early stages. Surveys show that large numbers of people in all countries may suffer from diabetes for years, without the condition being detected. This results in the build up of ketones in blood. Ketones are highly odorous chemicals which are formed when the body burns fat instead of carbohydrate for energy. Ketones are eliminated from blood through perspiration, in urine, and by way of exhaled breath. The latter joins the list of causes of halitosis, and it is a matter which a dentist cannot resolve on his or her own. This is why a dentist may send a patient to a physician, when there is nothing in the mouth which could result in halitosis. However, it is also possible that bacterial infections and diabetes are related, since high blood sugar predisposes people to immune deficiencies.

Sudden changes in diet can also cause bad breath. Fasting causes ketosis, as does a high protein diet, which also excludes carbohydrates. The bodies of people who try to lose weight rapidly, or to increase their musculatures, tend to use fat for energy, and smelly ketones build up in blood, finding their way to the lungs in the process. This is why special diets should be custom prepared for each individual by qualified experts.

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