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For most of us, there's a clear correlation between bad breath and smoking: if you smoke, you will have an offensive tobacco odor on your breath that all non-smokers will detect if they are close enough. Of course, a tobacco odor also tends to linger on the clothes and hair of a smoker, so tobacco on the breath is probably not a very large issue. Surprisingly, however, there are more pieces of the puzzle that tie bad breath to smoking in other ways.

Smoking apparently inhibits saliva production. This is a problem because saliva plays an important role in inhibiting the multiplication of anaerobic bacteria, which live at the back of the tongue, and sometimes in spaces between teeth and gums, and between the teeth. These anaerobic bacteria (bacteria which live where there is no oxygen) produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) when they digest proteins for nutrients. So bad breath and smoking go hand in hand because smoking decreases saliva and a decrease in saliva results in an increase in VSC producing anaerobes in the mouth.

Smoking also increases the risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Smokers apparently have more cavities that non-smokers. They also have gums that tend to detach from the teeth and recede, leaving exposed roots and spaces between gums and teeth where those VSC producing bacteria can flourish. The roots of the teeth, which are supposed to be protected by healthy gums, are not covered with enamel, so they are more subject to tooth decay. In this scenario, bad breath and smoking result from an unhealthy mouth full of tooth decay, periodontal disease, and proliferating VSC producing bacteria.

It's not just bad breath and smoking that you need to worry about: other tobacco products carry similar risks. Pipe smoking and cigar smoking cause all the same problems as cigarette smoking, and chewing tobacco has all these and more. Smokeless tobacco frequently has sugar added to it, and may contain particles of grit, both of which have implications for oral health. The association between sugar and dental cavities is well known, and chewing on sand will put wear and tear on tooth enamel, also contributing to tooth decay.

So it's not just the odor of cigarette smoke on the breath and that brownish yellow stain on the teeth that you need to think about when you get close to someone else. The best solution is, of course, to quit smoking, but if you can't do that, use a good breath product that will help control the VSC producing bacteria that link bad breath and smoking. That will help a bit.

Bad Breath

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath and Smoking, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

Bad Breath and Smoking

Bad Breath

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Bad breath is the worst! It's a terrible social problem - it can kill your chances at a second date, getting hired for a job, making new friends, and even make other people avoid you at all costs.

What is amazing is that science suggests we are genetically wired to avoid people with bad breath, because we are wired to avoid disgusting smells. Some scientists believe that the smell of rotting meat and dead bodies causes disgust in humans because our ancestors needed to avoid the bacteria in those things. Those who didn't avoid them, died because of sickness and infection. Those who had a deep repulsion for those smells lived longer and passed on those genes to their children, until virtually all humans now find those smells horrible.

And the names for the chemical compounds in bad breath are named for disgusting things! Cadaverine smells like dead bodies, putrescine smells like rotting meat, and skatole smells like feces!

Do you want things in your mouth that smell like THAT?

Of course not!

Unfortunately, even though Americans spend almost five billion dollars a year on toothpaste, mouthwashes, dental floss, and breath-fresheners, these products do not always address the root cause.

Here are three effective ways to help fight bad breath.

1) Drink lots of water. Saliva is one of the most important weapons your body has against bad breath. If you want to help your body stop foul odors in your mouth, give it what it needs to make more saliva: water. Stay away from caffeine (in sodas and coffee) and alcohol, which are diuretics and cause your body to expel more water.

2) Keep regular. Although it isn't something most people want to talk about, a portion of a person's bad breath comes from bacteria in their entire digestive tract. If you aren't going to the bathroom regularly and not eating a healthy diet, bacteria that produces foul-smelling chemicals can build up in your digestive system. Eat lots of fiber, found in fresh vegetables and fruits. Cut down on meats, fats, and processed foods. If you are going to the bathroom 2 to 4 times a day, your chances of having really bad breath are cut significantly.

3) Floss and brush your tongue. Hopefully you brush your teeth at least twice a day - once in the morning to remove foul-smelling bacteria that has built up overnight, and again at night to clear particles of food and cut down on bacteria's numbers before you go to bed. However, if you aren't flossing and brushing your tongue, you are leaving a minefield of bacteria behind to take over your mouth (and cause gum disease if you're not careful). Flossing removes bits of food and stubborn bacteria. Brushing your tongue removes a lot of bacteria that gets caught in the soft crevices of your skin. And if you want to be really thorough, remember to brush the insides of your cheeks next to your gums, where pockets of bacteria can hide out.

There is an even more effective way to destroy the root cause of bad breath.

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Bad Breath - 3 Ways To Fight It

Bad Breath

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Bad Breath

A dog's bad breath usually has basically the same cause as bad breath in humans: anaerobic bacteria break down proteins in the dog's mouth and release volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), which smell like rotten eggs. These bacteria live in airless pockets in the back of the mouth, between the teeth and the gums and on the back of the tongue. In dogs more often than humans, however, the worst problem lies with a layer of tartar on the teeth.

Tartar is made up of mineral deposits, bits of food, and live bacteria: if you could magnify the tartar on a dog's teeth, you would be able to see that it is actually very rough with numerous hollows and cavities where bacteria can live, digesting the little bits of food that are caught there as well. When the tartar is very advanced, it extends beyond the gum line, creating ideal conditions for the proliferation of bacteria that flourish in the absence of oxygen. This is often the source of halitosis in dogs, and because older dogs often have a considerable buildup of tartar, dogs bad breath is particularly associated with elderly dogs.

It's best to try to prevent halitosis in dogs by avoiding the troublesome buildup of tartar in the first place. There are several ways to do this: get into the habit of brushing your dog's teeth when the dog is very young - toothpastes are available especially for dogs and cats that contain enzymes to break down the tartar and prevent it from advancing. Take your dog to the veterinarian regularly and have his or her teeth professionally examined. Dental cleaning is available to clear away accumulating tartar before it gets too bad. You can also purchase a variety of chew toys and bones that help dogs scrape the tartar off their own teeth while they are chewing. If you do all of these things, you should be able to avoid dogs bad breath.

If tartar is already a problem, and you are starting to notice your dogs bad breath, you will probably find yourself paying for an extensive cleaning, probably under general anesthetic, by the veterinarian. There is some risk involved when the dog is old, but heavy tartar on the teeth comes with high risk of health complications anyway, so in most cases, it is worth taking a chance. Aside from improving your pet's health, the procedure is effective at putting an end to severe halitosis in dogs.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Bad Breath Cure, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.

Dogs Bad Breath

Bad Breath

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How to Check For Bad Breath

Bad Breath

Bad breath is when there is an unpleasant odor that usually comes from the mouth. When people exhale, the odor comes out. Not only is it a health issue, but it is also a social issue as well. People get turned off by those that have bad breath when they open their mouth.

There are different ways to determine whether or not you have bad breath. Here are some ways that you can do this:

o This is about the easiest way for you to find out if you have bad breath. Breathe on the back of your hands. You will automatically smell the odor as it comes out of your mouth. This can determine how your breath really smells.

o Did you know that saliva has an odor? Well, if you didn't, you do now. You hope that when you conduct this test that your breath will not have a foul odor. To do this, you will slightly lick your wrist or the back of your hand.

Give it a few seconds and then take a whiff. If you don't smell anything, then you should be ok. If you do, check with your dentist and get help.

o You can use a spoon or a tongue scraper to test your breath. Scrape your tongue at the front and back. Do each area one at a time. Smell the area in question on the spoon or the scraper and see how it smells. If it is a foul smell, then you may have chronic bad breath (halitosis).

o Check to see if you have any black spots on your teeth. If you do, it could be a sign that you may have bad breath. You may end up having tooth and gum problems that could also lead to bad breath due to bacteria that has formed.

Consult with your dentist to provide treatment to those areas that are affected so you can head off a potential bout of bad breath.

Halitosis is when you have chronic bad breath. Now that's worse when it's chronic. Whether it happens a few times or it's a continuous problem, people should find ways to get rid of it. As for the cause of bad breath, there are different reasons why it's happening.

Scott Wells writes for http://tobeinformed.com/614/ where you can learn about therabreath coupons to help you fight bad breath.