We’ve discussed causes of bad breath before, but we have yet to exhaust all the possible reasons (and we never may). It’s important to talk about it because you can start taking active measures on preventing bad breath. Bad breath affects more than just your oral health. It can take a toll on all elements of health. So without further ado, here are a few shocking reasons for bad breath.

High protein diets can be a culprit when it comes to what’s causing your bad breath.

“Some of the main gases that are given off are hydrogen sulfide, which you might recognize as the smell of rotten eggs, and methyl mercaptan, which is the smell of cabbage.” – Mary Lynn Bosma, New York-based endodontist

Citruses are another potential cause for bad breath. They contain a lot of sugar, and bacteria in your mouth love to eat sugar. Peanut butter can also affect the smell in your mouth for the same reason. It contains a lot of sugar.

If you suffer from chronic acid reflux, then you might have bad breath due to it as well. The contents in your stomach are constantly pushed up your esophagus.

This next one might hurt to hear, but alcohol kills the good bacteria in your mouth. We know alcohol can cause body odor, but I bet you didn’t know that it can mess with balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria in your mouth.