Top 5 Causes of Bad Breath

How to get rid of bad breath

Table of contents

• Causes of bad breath
• What smells?
• How to get rid of bad breath?
• Prevention
• Advantages of contacting MEDSI

Bad breath (halitosis, halitosis) is a serious problem for many people. It interferes with free communication and can cause a number of complexes, significantly reducing self-esteem. Halitosis is included by WHO in the ICD classification of diseases under code R 19.6. It is an important symptom of pathologies of both internal organs and the oral cavity. Of course, the unpleasant smell can be drowned out. But many would like to get rid of it forever. How to do it? Let's figure it out!

Causes of bad breath

To get rid of a problem, you need to know why it occurred.

It should be understood that the oral cavity is the beginning of the digestive tract and is home to a large number of bacteria. It is not surprising that an unpleasant odor appears after sleep, in the morning. To fix the problem, just brush your teeth and gums. Also, bad breath may appear after eating dishes with onions, garlic and some spices, or drinking alcohol. In this case, it also does not indicate serious problems.

Halitosis can be considered much more dangerous if it occurs with:

• gastritis with high acidity
• esophageal diverticulum
• duodenal and stomach ulcers
• malignant neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract
• cardiac sphincter insufficiency

Respiratory tract diseases can also provoke problems. Halitosis often occurs against the background of a chronic runny nose, with pathologies of the sinuses and tonsillitis.

There are also dental causes of bad breath. These include various diseases of the teeth and gums. The problem is provoked by the active development of bacteria, rotting of products and the formation of dense deposits. At the same time, halitosis often becomes a constant companion of a person and it is extremely difficult to get rid of the pathological condition.

The cause of an unpleasant odor is often:

• caries and tooth decay
• wearing crowns and other prosthetic structures
• use of braces
• dry mucous membrane
• smoking

What smells?

The characteristics of halitosis are largely determined by its cause.

• A sour smell usually indicates diseases of the stomach and other digestive organs.
• Putrefactive speaks of esophageal diverticulum
• The smell of ammonia is a sign of diabetes
• Urine – about kidney failure
• Rotten cabbage or feces - about caries and other pathologies of the oral cavity

Important! If there is a problem, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. He will not only identify the cause of bad breath, but also tell you how to get rid of it. If necessary, other specialists of a narrow profile will be involved in working with the patient: gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, urologist, etc. For diagnosis, doctors use various examination methods.

How to get rid of bad breath?

As we have already noted, first of all you should consult a doctor.

You should start looking for the cause of halitosis and working to eliminate it by visiting the dentist. He will detect all existing pathologies of the oral cavity and eliminate them. Particular attention will be paid to carious cavities. The specialist will also carry out professional oral hygiene. Soft plaque and hard deposits will be removed using the air abrasive method and ultrasound. After this, the dentist will advise you to replace your toothbrush and select a toothpaste that will allow you to clean efficiently and in a timely manner. The patient may also be offered the use of an irrigator and other additional oral hygiene products.

Important! To prevent halitosis, you need to brush your teeth at least 2 times a day.

If treatment is carried out, but the bad breath persists, the dentist will advise you to contact a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, or other specialists.

Important! It should be understood that the most common cause of halitosis is improper oral care. That is why you should regularly visit the dentist and use the toothbrush and toothpaste he has selected. It is also advisable to regularly perform professional oral hygiene and eliminate even small areas of bacterial accumulation (cavities, etc.).

Prevention

To prevent bad breath in men and women, you should:

1. Brush your teeth regularly
2. Stop smoking
3. Regulate proper nutrition by giving up unhealthy foods and ready-made meals
4. Monitor your metabolism

If you have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other body systems, it is imperative to treat them in a timely manner.

Advantages of contacting MEDSI

• Experienced, qualified specialists.
  They are able to quickly identify the cause of bad breath and treat existing pathologies.
• Professional oral hygiene.
  It helps prevent the occurrence of halitosis, and if it has already occurred, it will help eliminate the cause.
• Learning how to care for teeth at home.
  This service is especially relevant for children and adolescents. It allows you to teach proper hygiene from an early age, which also prevents the likelihood of problems occurring.
• Individual selection of products for proper oral care.
  Thanks to this, you can get rid of existing halitosis or reduce its manifestations
• No queues and the ability to make an appointment at a convenient time

If you are planning to get rid of bad breath by finding out and eliminating its causes, call + 7 (495) 7-800-500. Our specialists will answer all questions and offer a convenient time to visit MEDSI. Recording is also possible through the SmartMed application.

Top 5 Causes of Bad Breath

Frequent communications with other people are an integral part of modern life. While bad breath can cause “forced silence.” How to avoid becoming an introvert against your will? And where to look for the cause of the trouble?

1. Insufficient hygiene and dental diseases

Food debris on teeth and gums provides food for oral bacteria. And the “waste” of such a diet becomes volatile compounds (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and others), a large concentration of which is felt as an unpleasant odor.

In addition, such conditions contribute to the proliferation of pathogenic flora, which:

• firstly, it disrupts the pH of the oral cavity (due to bacterial waste products) and promotes demineralization of enamel and tooth tissue itself;
• and secondly, it increases the concentration of volatile substances in the oral cavity and contributes to the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

Thus, both improper hygiene and excess bacteria and signs of inflammation in gum disease, even with good hygiene, may be to blame for the appearance of a “problematic” odor.

In the first case, normal hygiene procedures twice a day, as well as rinsing after meals during the day, are sufficient to eliminate the problem. And in the second, the solution obviously requires the participation of a dentist.

Dry oral mucosa

This phenomenon often occurs while taking certain medications and is caused by insufficient saliva production.

In this case, the cleansing properties of saliva practically disappear, which contributes to the “accumulation” of food debris in the oral cavity and their “decomposition”, and also significantly “makes life easier” for bacteria.

Chronic diseases of the respiratory system

Chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and sinusitis are a reliable source of excessive growth of bacteria in the oral cavity. Here we are most often talking about staphylococci and streptococci, which have pronounced pathogenic properties.

An unpleasant odor can also appear with purulent diseases of the bronchi and lungs, as well as with tumors at the stage of destruction. In this case, the smell from the mouth often becomes putrid in nature, and the cough is accompanied by copious sputum production.

Digestive system diseases

“Stomach” odors are often sour (with normal and high acidity) or “rotten” in nature (with low acidity), and appear under the following conditions:

• reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus (reflux),
• narrowing of the gastric outlet (pyloric stenosis),
• the presence of ulcerative and oncological processes in the stomach or duodenum.

The smell can also be associated with liver damage, and then it has a characteristic “liver” tint.

Severe metabolic disorders

We are talking primarily about diabetes mellitus and its severe complication – ketoacidosis. The smell from the mouth in which case resembles “acetone”, and the condition itself can be fatal.

How to find the reason

1. You can confirm the “microbial” origin of bad breath by inoculating a swab from the throat and nose. The study will not only “show” the quantity and quality of microorganisms, but will also allow you to select an effective antibacterial drug, if necessary.

Culture is also relevant for sputum, if it is separated.

And also, in any case, an examination by a dentist and an ENT doctor is recommended.

2. It is quite difficult to check the condition of the stomach and duodenum using laboratory methods, therefore, if a “gastric” origin of the odor is suspected, a consultation with a gastroenterologist and FGDS is recommended.

3. The liver is one of the most multifunctional organs, so it is not surprising that many people experience its damage at a young age.

You can check the digestive function of the organ using a blood test for liver enzymes (ALT, AST), bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-GT, both individually and in the format of the Liver Examination complex. Base".

4. A blood test for glucose levels and glycated hemoglobin (average level over the last 3 months) is “meant” to control the risk of diabetes.

How to say goodbye to bad breath?

The problem can be eliminated only after its cause is determined. If the problem is diseases of the teeth and gums, it is necessary to cure all inflammatory and necrotic processes, put fillings, and, if necessary, replace dentures. Sometimes patients experience an unpleasant odor after tooth extraction: such a symptom may indicate the onset of complications, so it is better to see a dentist as quickly as possible. Periodontitis and periodontal disease give off a particularly strong putrid odor. The doctor will remove the deposits with ultrasound and prescribe therapy.

Since tonsillitis, bronchitis, sinusitis and other ENT diseases are a common cause of unpleasant odor in children, a treatment strategy should be chosen with an otolaryngologist. Komarovsky also recommends correcting mouth breathing - the cause of dryness and halitosis.

How to prevent bad breath?

To avoid an unpleasant problem, prevention is necessary.

• First of all, high-quality oral hygiene. It includes not only brushing your teeth with a brush and toothpaste twice a day, but also using antibacterial rinses, dental floss, and sometimes an irrigator. To clean your tongue from plaque, it is better to use a plastic scraper rather than a brush.
• Once every 5-7 months, you must visit the dentist to remove dental plaque and conduct an examination. Almost any disease of the teeth and gums can be detected at the initial stage, without waiting for inflammation, pain and unpleasant odor.
• Experts recommend drinking 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day. This will help avoid dehydration and dry mouth.
• A healthy diet will keep your breath fresh. In the morning, it is better to give preference to oatmeal, which promotes salivation. Do not overdo it with protein and fatty foods, dairy products, coffee and spices, but be sure to include apples, oranges and celery in the menu.
• Regularly undergo preventive examinations with doctors and get tested.

Bad breath due to gastrointestinal diseases

Bad breath in some cases can be a consequence of gastroenterological diseases. Most often, halitosis is provoked by gastroesophageal reflux (a pathological condition in which gastric contents enter the esophagus), as well as infection of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. It can cause gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer. In addition, the bacterium may also be present on the oral mucosa, which is also a cause of halitosis. There may not be any signs of gastrointestinal diseases.

The study, published in the journal Medical Principles and Practice, involved 18 patients with halitosis and confirmed H. pylori infection. 4–6 weeks after a course of antibacterial treatment, bad breath disappeared in 16 people. This study confirmed the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and halitosis.

Much less commonly, halitosis occurs due to intestinal obstruction. This is a health-threatening condition where food is unable to move through the digestive tract due to a blockage in the small or large intestine. Symptoms of the pathology: bloating, constipation, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and fecal odor from the mouth. If you have these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.