Tag: Petrichor

Over 80 million Americans experience morning breath, a common form of bad breath. The answer to **what is the morning smell called?** is not a single term, but depends on whether you are referring to the odor coming from your mouth, known as halitosis, or the earthy, fresh aroma from the natural world, called petrichor. This article explores both phenomena.

The aroma of freshly turned soil after a rain, known as petrichor, is caused by the chemical compound geosmin, a 'wet smell' that is surprisingly detectable by humans even at very low concentrations. However, the same general odor can signal a far less pleasant phenomenon: mold or mildew growth in damp, poorly ventilated areas of a building.