The Bacteria responsible for Bad Breath are classified as "Anaerobic" - which literally means "Without Oxygen".  They thrive in an environment where Oxygen is NOT present. That is why they DO NOT LIVE ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR TONGUE!

They live in between the papillae (fibers) that make up your tongue!  For some, it is helpful to use both a mouthwash and tongue scrapper to eliminate or reduce these Bacteria.  

The sulphur compounds responsible for most of the odor are actually by-products of anaerobic bacteria (Fusobacterium and Actinomyces, among others) which do not breed on the surface of the tongue, but deep within the fibers of the tongue.

Everyone needs these bacteria, because they assist the digestion process. But, unfortunately, for some, these particular bacteria are found in higher numbers. (Various theories attribute this to hormonal changes, a history of medications, usually antibiotics or sulpha drugs-which create an imbalance of oral bacteria, or even Genetics-these disorders appear to run in some families.)

The bacteria on our tongue and in our month also have an important protective role. When they are diminished drastically, say by the chronic use of antibiotics, then the tongue becomes prey to colonization by Candida, a yeast-like organism that causes moneliasis (candidiasis). Candida, which are microorganisms, but not bacteria, are present in small numbers in a lot of our mouths, but are usually kept at bay by the bacteria. Candidal diseases are much more difficult to control than bad breath. So the idea is to keep the number and activity of bacteria on the tongue low, but not get rid of them completely.

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Last modified: October 17, 2007