Dry mouth can be caused by many different factors, including stress and illness. But what does dry mouth itself actually cause? Bad breath is one of the side effects dry mouth can cause in many individuals.

Bad breath is usually caused by the overabundance of odor-forming bacteria in the mouth that produce smelly, sulfurous compounds. Saliva is one of nature’s ways of preventing this bacteria from feeling at home in your mouth, and later, creating unpleasant sulfur compounds. In fact, saliva actually neutralizes bad odors. It also acts as an irrigation system to flush out unwanted bacteria. But individuals with dry mouth lack this natural breath deodorizer. The lack of saliva flow due to “dry mouth” creates a happy environment for odor-causing bacteria.

There are some mouthwashes on the market today that actually create dry mouth. Many mouthwashes contain alcohol, and alcohol is a drying agent. When used consistently, alcohol-based mouthwashes tend to eliminate natural saliva flow, which then creates bad breath. Often, the consumer thinks they need to use more mouthwash to get rid of the bad breath, creating a never-ending cycle.

If you’re the owner of a naturally dry mouth, there’s still something you can do to prevent bad breath. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will aid in washing away odor-causing bacteria. Water works for the same reason saliva does to prevent bad breath. It merely washes the smell away. A lack of saliva can easily be substituted with a little extra water every day.

There are many instances where dry mouth can’t be prevented. Even in these cases, you can still take steps to prevent bad breath, one of the many side effects of dry mouth.