Bad Breath
Bad Breath
Bad breath or Halitosis is an unpleasant, distinctive, or offensive breath odor.
Bad breath, also called halitosis, is caused by bacteria that grow in your mouth. The bacteria gather on the small food pieces left in your mouth, especially between your teeth. The bacteria releases sulfur compounds, which is what makes your breath smell. Strong smelling foods such as garlic and onions can cause bad breath, and so can smoking.
Watch Out For These Bad Breath Symptoms:
A fruity odor to the breath occurs as the body attempts to get rid of excess acetone through the breathing. This is a characteristic sign of ketoacidosis, which may occur in diabetes, and is a potentially life-threatening condition.
A fecal odor to the breath (the breath smells like feces) can occur with prolonged vomiting, especially when there is a bowel obstruction. It may also occur temporarily if a person has a nasogastric tube (a tube placed through the nose or mouth to the stomach to drain the stomach contents) in place.
The breath may have an ammonia-like odor (also described as urine-like or “fishy”) in people with chronic kidney failure.
Common Causes of Bad Breath
If previously normal breath turns into halitosis, causes could include:
* Food or beverages consumed (such as cabbage, garlic, raw onions, or coffee)
* Vitamin supplements (especially in large doses)
* Poor dental hygiene
* Dentures
* Cavities
* Tobacco smoking
* Alcoholism
* Throat infection
* Sinusitis
* Lung infection
* Gum disease (gingivitis, gingivostomatitis)
* Abscessed tooth
* Impacted tooth
* Foreign body in the nose (usually in children)
o Often (but not always) there is a white, yellowish, or bloody discharge from one nostril
* Drugs
o Paraldehyde
o Triamterene and inhaled anesthetics
o Insulin - injection
Diseases that may be associated with breath odor (not presented in order of likelihood — some are extremely unlikely):
* Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
* Acute necrotizing ulcerative mucositis
* Acute renal failure
* Bowel obstruction (can cause breath to smell like feces)
* Bronchiectasis
* Chronic renal failure (can cause breath to smell like ammonia)
* Diabetes (fruity or sweet chemical smell with ketoacidosis)
* Esophageal cancer
* Gastric carcinoma
* Gastrojejunocolic fistula (fruity-smelling breath)
* Hepatic encephalopathy
* Diabetic ketoacidosis
* Lung abscess
* Ozena, or atrophic rhinitis
* Periodontal disease
* Pharyngitis
* Zenker’s diverticulum
Home Care for Bad Breath
Use proper dental hygiene (especially flossing), and remember that mouthwashes are not effective in treating the underlying problem.
Fresh parsley or a strong mint are often effective ways to fight temporary bad breath. Avoid smoking. Otherwise, follow prescribed therapy to treat the underlying cause.
The Bad Breath Report has detailed, step-by-step information for getting rid of your bad breath at home in about 3 days. Learn in the Bad Breath Report how the companies that sell “breath freshening” products (like mouthwash, sprays and mints) do NOT want you to know about cures. This is because they are only interested in your money… and… they want you to keep buying their products for LIFE.
The Bad Breath Report also explains how most dentists also make lots of money by selling you products for your bad breath. So they won’t always tell you the cures either… because… they want you to keep going back to them, to buy more and more expensive products.
