# Do germs cause bad breath?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-germs-cause-bad-breath/483203>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 27, 2009, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-germs-cause-bad-breath/483203 "2009-01-27T08:34:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![warmgun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecccb3/32.png) [@warmgun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/warmgun)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-germs-cause-bad-breath/483203/1 "2009-01-27T08:34:24Z")

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And if so, does rinsing with mouthwash kill them? Or is mouthwash just a cover up?

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-germs-cause-bad-breath/483203/2 "2009-01-27T12:39:12Z")

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Antiseptic mouthwash kills germs that cause not only bad breath but also plaque and gum disease.

> [@](#):
>
> [Gum Disease (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth](http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/mouth/gum_disease.html)
> 
> Gum disease is usually caused by a buildup of plaque, an invisible sticky layer of germs that forms naturally on the teeth and gums. Plaque contains bacteria, which produce toxins that irritate and damage the gums.

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**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-germs-cause-bad-breath/483203/3 "2009-01-27T13:32:27Z")

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According to [these guys](http://www.periproducts.co.uk/badbreath.asp) [warning - commercial], the most frequent cause of bad breath is ‘volatile sulphur compounds’ in the mouth that are produced by bacteria.

Dunno whether that’s right or not, but the reason I’m shilling for them is that I had bad breath for many years, then I started using their product. I can’t say my breath is OK now from direct experience, all I can do is infer that it is so, from:

1. The peeps who used to reel backwards shouting ‘christ is there a dead rat in there’ when they talked to me, no longer do so.

b. I had a snog partner for over a year who seemed very enthusiastic.

Pi. Something about Australian gemstones.

So there you go.