Unusual causes of bad breath

While most people are aware of the common agents of halitosis - savory foods, smoking, sleeping with the mouth open, dry mouth - some of the rarer causes may fly under the radar. If you’ve experienced bad breath when it seems there couldn’t possibly be a reason, consider the causes below.

Prescription medication: A number of medications can entail bad breath as a side effect. From Adderall to Zyrtec, many meds have cotton mouth listed as a potential side effect. Drying of the tongue and palate and the absence of cleansing saliva can result in very powerful breath, as odor-causing bacteria quickly multiply.

Thrush: It’s a yeast infection of the mouth, whose symptoms include sore throat and a white, coated tongue. While not your ordinary halitosis cause, thrush can lead to very sour breath.

Ageing: Believe it or not, just getting older may increase one’s risk of bad breath, according to the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Comapny. As we age our mouths naturally produce less moisture, which creates a fertile environment for oral bacteria.

Sjögren's syndrome: This is one of the most unusual causes of bad breath, as it is a rare medical disorder. Also called Sicca syndrome, it is an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks and disables its saliva- and tear-producing glands.

In any case of bad breath, brushing one’s teeth and rinsing with specialty breath fresheners may moisten the mouth and clean the palate, while neutralizing odor.