A dentist at Marks Dental Clinic, Dr. Anna Adams says fasting may cause bad breadth.

She said that fasting mostly causes dehydration (less saliva) in the mouth which creates a conducive environment for bacteria to produce compounds called the volatile sulphur compounds, which causes the odour.

“Fasting may cause bad breadth, once it’s creating the environment for the bacteria to produce these compounds, it will definitely lead to halitosis,” she said.

Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning, on Tuesday, she stated that humans naturally have saliva in the mouth that is produced by salivary glands and helps cleanse and hydrate the mouth.

Dr. Adams added that other activities that cause dehydration in the mouth include alcohol and smoking and they are also leading causes of halitosis.

“Alcohol and smoking, anything that cause dehydration in the mouth, less saliva flow, will lead to an environment which is very conducive for these bacteria to feed on and produce these compounds,” she indicated.    

Dr. Adams added that certain foods such as onions and garlics contain these volatile sulphur compounds that could also cause bad mouth odour if taken often.

The medical practitioner stated that sometimes, the victims of bad breadth may not notice it until someone draws their attention, because they get used to the smell.

“Majority of people don’t know they have it, so the olfactory cells, the cells in the nasal cavity, they have this adaptation. So if there’s a smell around you for a very long time you get adapted to it, so with time you may not perceive it but an outsider will be able to perceive and tell you.

“It’s easily identifiable by others, but not you”, she explained.

She urged individuals to visit the dentist once in every six months for routine checkup and routine cleaning.

She advised that individuals battling with bad breadth or tooth decay should visit a dental facility immediately and not wait till it worsens.