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Article: Bad breath can point to illnesses
- Article from:
- The Philadelphia Tribune
- Article date:
- October 31, 2004
CopyrightProvided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Philadelphia Tribune, The
10-31-2004
Bad breath (also known as halitosis) is breath containing an unpleasant
odor. This odor can strike periodically or be persistent, depending on the
cause. In many patients, the millions of bacteria that live in the mouth
(particularly on the back of the tongue) are the primary culprits of bad
breath. The mouth's warm, moist conditions make an ideal environment for
these bacteria to grow. About 80 percent of bad breath is caused by
something in the mouth.
Some types of bad breath, such as "morning mouth," are considered to be
fairly normal, and they are usually not health concerns. The "morning
mouth" type of bad breath occurs because the saliva that regularly ...