Bad breath, also referred to as halitosis, can be caused by an astonishing number of things. From poor gut health to a sinus infection, your bad breath can be the result of more than just morning breath. To determine what may be causing your halitosis, here a guide of the different types of bad breath.
Tonsil Breath
Bad breath can be caused by tonsil stones or tonsillitis, occurring with chronic or recurrent forms of tonsillitis. The two small pads of tissue on either side of the back of your throat are your tonsils. As part of your immune system, they allow white blood cells to attack the germs festering in your mouth. Bacteria, food debris, mucus, dead cells and other substances can get trapped in the creases of your tonsils, causing build-up that can start to smell and emit bad breath.
Lung Breath
Caused by lung infections and other conditions including tuberculosis, pneumonia and bronchitis, bad breath can be an indicator of something far worse than just poor oral hygiene. Lung cancer, for example, creates a distinct odour that can be an early indicator of the disease. People who suffer from asthma likely also suffer from dry mouth, which allows bacteria and food particles to build up in the mouth, producing bad breath.
Sinus Breath
Bad breath can be caused by microbial buildup, bacteria growth or infection within your sinuses. Sinusitis can be a short term infection that causes inflammation or a long term condition that can affect your quality of life. Either way, the increase in moisture and mucus in the tight space of your nose can lead to halitosis.
Gut Breath
You can experience bad breath as a result of your gut, as it’s an indication that there’s an imbalance somewhere in your digestive system. This imbalance can refer to gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, bloating, gas or burping.
Metabolic Breath
If your breath smells of fruit and nuts or acetone, then it’s likely because you’re on a low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet. These diets force the body to burn fat for fuel, producing various chemicals known as ketones. Those chemicals are released through your breath, creating an odour.
Diabetes Breath
People with diabetes burn fat and produce ketones due to their body’s inability to produce insulin. They’re prone to experience the same breath issues as mentioned above. However, bad breath can also be caused by chronic kidney failure, but the scent will be fishier or smell like ammonia instead of acetone.
Drug Breath
Many medications that tend to dry out the mouth can also cause bad breath. Medications that treat depression, anxiety, nasal congestion, obesity, acne, allergies, pain, epilepsy, asthma, and hypertension are among the worst prescriptions to cause halitosis. As these medications are essential to your health, talk to your dentist about how to combat the side effects.
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