What is Morning Breath?
Many of us wake up to the smell of napalm in the morning, otherwise known as morning breath. Morning breath is a potent form of halitosis, the medical term for bad breath, and isn’t always relieved by a cursory swish of mouthwash. Some people rarely develop serious morning breath, but some experts estimate up to 95% of the general population experiences morning halitosis from time to time. There are a number of root causes for morning breath. One trigger is the amount of food residue and mucus remaining in the mouth overnight. During the day, natural saliva and ingested liquids generally keep food and mucus moving past the tongue and upper throat. At night, however, the salivary glands produce very little saliva and the mouth can become very dry. Certain anaerobic bacteria which live in the oxygen-free crevices of the tongue and throat are no longer held at bay, so they begin to feed on the food and mucus. Their waste products are primarily sulfur-based, which creates a very pungent sm
Morning Breath is our live, drive-time, devotional program that airs each weekday from 7:30-8:00 a.m. on WMIE 91.5. Senior Pastor Dan Stallbaum is joined each morning by other East Coast pastors for a lively discussion of the Bible chapter for that day. Download this month’s Morning Breath schedule here so you can read the chapter and join us for a program that is sure to jumpstart your day!
Saliva is the key ingredient in your mouth that helps keep odour under control because it helps wash away odour causing food particles and bacteria. When your sleep, however, salivary glands slow the production of saliva, allowing bacteria to grow inside the mouth, which causes the bad odour, or “morning breath”. To alleviate morning breath, brush your teeth and eat a morning meal. Morning breath also is associated with hunger or fasting. If you skip breakfast, the odour may reoccur even if you’ve brushed your teeth. Do certain foods or drinks cause bad breath? Very spicy foods, such as onions and garlic, and drinks like coffee may be detected on a person’s breath for up to 3 days after digestion. In addition, certain diets, especially ones that eliminate carbohydrates, increase the chance of halitosis. How can I control bad breath? Visit our dental team regularly because checkups will help detect any systemic causes. Checkups can also help get rid of plaque and bacteria that build up
