People are often quick to blame bad breath on the usual suspects like onions, garlic and coffee. But sometimes these are not the culprits. In fact, they’re not even necessarily food-related. Take a look at some not-so-obvious sources of bad breath:
Diabetes
Because diabetes causes your blood-sugar levels to fluctuate, it can also leave your mouth vulnerable to bad breath-causing periodontal diseases. The extra glucose on your teeth and gums increases bacteria, which can lead to gum disease, gingivitis and infections. This is when the situation can get a lot worse than just bad breath—the inflammation caused by these diseases can affect your metabolism and actually worsen your diabetes. Diabetes can also cause ketoacidosis, which is where the body uses fats instead of glucose if there is too little insulin in the blood. As a result, ketones are produced as a waste product which excretes a sweet smell.
Medications
Certain medications including antihistamines and antidepressants, can cause xerostomia, or dry mouth. Dry mouth, because of its penchant for bringing saliva production to a halt, is a well-known contributor to bad breath.
