Oh halitosis...we've all had to deal with bad breath at some point. Your mouth is far from sterile, with over 700 different strains of bacteria having been detected in the oral cavity, though thankfully most of us only host a fraction of them! Many factors such as diet and oral hygiene affect breath, but in the end your breath is largely dependent on the specific variety of bacteria that reside in your mouth. The anaerobic bacteria in the mouth excrete volatile sulfur compounds that are responsible for the rotten sulfuric odor. The more anaerobic bacteria you have, the more likely you are to suffer from halitosis. Therefore for some patients, even with a strict oral hygiene regimen it's difficult to keep the bacteria under control. If this is the case, an antimicrobial mouthrinse can be prescribed for you which can help tremendously.

You breathe [out] what you eat, and high protein foods as well as foods and drinks that are acidic such as coffee tend to worsen your breath. In contrast, green tea is a natural fighter of halitosis due to its antibacterial properties. Of course, oral hygiene is incredibly important and brushing and flossing at least 2x/day is recommended. Also, brushing the tongue is key since it's a prime location for bacteria to settle in.

In some cases, chronic halitosis can have systemic causes. Sinus infections, diabetes, liver and kidney disease, and certain cancers can all cause chronic bad breath. Like any other chronic condition, chronic halitosis should not be ignored as it can be a symptom of a larger whole-body problem.