If you've been prescribed a new medication and suddenly notice that you seem to have more chronic bad breath than you've ever had before, you might not be imagining things.  There is a link between medication and bad breath in certain cases and for certain meds, and there are also things you can about the resultant halitosis without having to stop taking your prescriptions.

Dry Mouth as a Link Between Medication And Bad Breath
One of the reasons that many people are unaware of the link between medication and bad breath is that the side effects of the mediation don't necessarily list bad breath, but they do often list dry mouth as a potential side effect of the dosage.  How are the two related?

When you have dry mouth, the bacteria and germs that cause bad breath are going to be more likely to stick to the inside of your mouth, causing bad breath.  Saliva and keeping yourself hydrated by drinking enough water are two main cures for bad breath, but if your prescription causes dry mouth as so many do, that is your link between medication and bad breath.  

The Breakdown of Medications
All oral medications that you take will break down in your stomach and digestive system just like food does.  This means that certain enzymes or other elements of the medications can come back up into your throat when you belch, or if you have acid reflux disease, or are just expelled from the system through your breath. 

Very often the link between medication and bad breath is how the medicine breaks down in your body and the chemicals it releases as it does.  Just like how someone that follows a high protein diet often has bad breath because of the enzymes in meat as they get digested, a person taking certain medications is going to have bad breath because of those chemicals in the medicine being released when its digested.

Combating the Link Between Medication And Bad Breath
If your breath is bad enough to bother you or interfere with your relationships, speak to your doctor about a possible remedy; never stop taking your medicine without your doctor's approval.  Maintain good oral hygiene and drink plenty of water; this can also help to combat the link between medication and bad breath.  If necessary, keep some gum and mints with you always to at least cover up the problem, if it can't be fixed.