Hello dear readers. Persistent bad breath is a common problem. Even in developed countries, the number of people suffering from this does not fall below 30%, and often reaches 65%. Why does my mouth stink - what to do? The reasons can be different, ranging from poor hygiene to pathological conditions and serious illnesses. Therefore, attempts to mask the smell often give only a short-term effect. And in order to completely correct the situation, you may need the help of a specialist and targeted treatment. The repulsive smell exuded by the oral cavity creates considerable discomfort for its owner. And not only to him. People forced to talk to him cannot always hide their disgust.

A person who has bad breath, or who thinks that he has this problem, tries to engage in dialogue less often, stay away from others and not even breathe in their direction.

What can we say about close contact and the arrangement of personal life. But there is another contingent - people who are absolutely unaware that they smell disgusting from their mouths. Then someone must still dare to tell them about it.

And such news should be perceived adequately - absolutely no one is immune from this problem.

Why breath stinks - what to do

So why does this terrible smell come about? The reasons here are often medical in nature. But even an absolutely healthy person can face this.

Causes of halitosis if a person is healthy

Bad breath (the medical term is halitosis) is common to all people. This characteristic phenomenon after waking up from a night's rest is considered the norm.

Where does this awful smell come from? This is a consequence of the activity of microorganisms. In the daytime, abundant salivation inhibits the activity of microbes.

And during sleep, all functions, including the work of the salivary glands, are slowed down. Bacteria multiply intensively, and the very repulsive aroma becomes the result of their activity. It is very easy to eliminate it with the help of a standard morning procedure - brushing your teeth.

The smell from the mouth can become unpleasant not only in the morning. During the day, especially in hot weather, the mucous surface of the oral cavity can dry out quite a lot.

There may be other reasons for the decrease in the activity of the salivary glands, for example, nervous strain. As already noted, saliva not only moisturizes the oral cavity, but also cleanses and disinfects it.

Here you can recommend to quench your thirst more often or suck on lollipops, which activates the activity of the salivary glands. If the sweets contain mint or eucalyptus extract, this will definitely help to avoid the appearance of unpleasant odors in the mouth.

Everyone knows the specific property of certain foodstuffs to haunt the eater for a long time after eating them with a terrible smell.

We are talking, of course, about garlic and onions. So you have to be wary of putting onion rings in the salad and not using garlic remedies to prevent colds.

After all, then neither toothpaste nor chewing gum can guarantee getting rid of an annoying specific spirit.

Where does the persistent smell come from in this case? The sulfur compounds that make up these products are to blame for everything.

It is they who “defile” the breath and for a long time make themselves felt with a specific taste in the mouth and a terrible aroma. In addition, the smallest particles of onion or garlic remain in the irregularities of the tooth surface, and their juice is absorbed into the existing plaque at the base of the teeth.

Therefore, in order to get rid of the annoying smell, you need to thoroughly brush your teeth, preferably using toothpaste with essential oils. You can also use the odor removal tips below.

But not only these products rich in phytoncides can cause a bad smell. As you know, the environment in the human mouth is slightly acidic. The use of many products provokes an increase in acidity. And in such conditions, bacteria feel comfortable and actively multiply.

The predominance of meat and dairy dishes in the diet creates conditions for the release of sulfur dioxide. And the abuse of coffee drinks, regardless of their caffeine content, as well as confectionery and sweet soda, leads to acidification of the environment in the oral cavity and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. As for alcoholic beverages, they cause drying of the mucosa and a decrease in its protective function.

During fasting, including therapeutic, there is no constant supply of food. Therefore, the body begins to break down fat-like substances with the formation of volatile compounds that have an unpleasant odor.

This causes the appearance of a characteristic "acetone" breath. Hygiene practices do not help here. It is necessary to ensure the intake of carbohydrates in the body.

Why smokers breath smells

Smokers also have a terrible odor from their mouths. It occurs for several reasons.

1. Tobacco smoke and nicotine themselves have a characteristic persistent odor. It impregnates the smoker literally through and through, the tobacco spirit comes from clothes, skin, hair, oral mucosa.
2. Smoking leads to a decrease in the secretion of the salivary glands. This weakens the protective properties of the mucosa and leads to increased development of microorganisms in the oral cavity and the appearance of bad breath.
3. Smokers are prone to inflammatory periodontal disease. Smoking also increases the formation of tartar. All this contributes to the development of halitosis.

But, according to dentists, bad breath is most often due to neglect of hygiene. Insufficient oral care or its complete absence has a lot of negative consequences.

And bad breath is the least evil here. All kinds of damage in the form of caries, periodontal disease, gingivitis, stomatitis quickly develop against the background of non-compliance with hygiene rules.

Bad breath as a result of various diseases

The reasons for the appearance of a persistent unpleasant odor in the oral cavity can be problems:

✔ dental nature.

✔ With respiratory organs.

✔ in the digestive system.

✔ with endocrine glands.

In about 85% of cases, the cause of halitosis lies in lesions in the oral cavity. It can be caries, inflammation of the periodontal tissues, mucosal diseases, tumors.

Dry mouth syndrome, caused by poor saliva secretion, is also often the cause of persistent bad breath.

The oral cavity may dry out due to the intake of certain pharmacological agents, damage to the salivary glands, and the predominance of oral breathing.

Also, halitosis can develop due to partial exposure of the tooth root. This causes high sensitivity of the teeth, which makes it difficult to fully care for them at home.

Halitosis can be observed with damage to the larynx, tonsils, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses (sinusitis, chronic runny nose, sinusitis, pharyngitis, influenza, inflammation of the tonsils, proliferation of adenoids).

At the same time, pathogenic microflora produces volatile compounds that have an unpleasant odor. A similar problem is observed in the inflammatory process or the presence of tumors in the lower respiratory tract. In this case, the smell can be putrid.

Digestive problems also lead to bad breath. It is generally accepted that in the presence of such pathologies, digestive gases rise into the oral cavity and spoil breathing. But that doesn't happen often.

There are general changes in the digestive tract, which includes the oral cavity. There is also a decrease in the protective properties of the body, which leads to the uncontrolled growth of pathogenic microorganisms responsible for the appearance of a disgusting smell.

Other causes of halitosis include:

✔ Diabetes.

✔ Failures in metabolic processes.

✔ Hormonal imbalance, including cyclic processes in women.

✔ Neuro-emotional stress.

✔ Violation of the functioning of the kidneys and liver.

✔ The presence of dentures.

How to check the smell from your mouth - is there a problem or not

Not always a person can assess the degree of freshness of his breath. If there are suspicions, several peculiar tests can be carried out.

1. First you need to wash your hands, without soap, so as not to interrupt the smell. Cover your nose and mouth with your palm, exhale through your mouth and draw this air in through your nose. You can breathe through your mouth into a bag, paper or plastic, and then sniff its contents.
2. It is necessary to moisten with saliva (lick), for example, the wrist or cutlery and allow to dry. After that, you should smell if there is an unpleasant smell.
3. With a cotton swab, lightly wipe the oral mucosa - tongue, palate, inner surface of the cheeks. Then sniff it.
4. You need to use dental floss and then analyze its aroma.

It is better to do this not in the morning, but in the middle of the day or in the evening. If you've brushed your teeth or used chewing gum, it's best to only test after a few hours - fragrances can blur the picture.

If the tests described did not give unambiguous results, then you should overcome shame and ask a loved one if your breath is fresh enough.

In the case when the determination is not enough, you should visit the dentist and report that you have this problem. Let him confirm this or completely dispel your doubts.

If necessary, you will need to visit other specialists, for example, an ENT specialist or a gastroenterologist.

How to get rid of bad breath

First you need to identify the cause of a persistent unpleasant odor. Particular attention should be focused on oral hygiene. Are you using a reasonably agile brush with medium bristles?

Do you thoroughly clean your teeth, even in hard-to-reach places? Perhaps the whole process takes you less than a minute instead of the prescribed two or three.

Or you don't floss and you've never even heard of a tongue scraper. Please note that most of the microbes are concentrated on the mucosa. So the tongue should be carefully cleaned without fail.

We should also not forget about the need to rinse the mouth with a special composition or at least clean water after each meal, even if it is a small snack or just a glass of juice.

Effectively eliminates food particles and normalizes acidity in the mouth chewing gum. But it only takes a few minutes to chew.

Regular visits to the dentist and sanitation procedures will help to avoid various problems, including bad breath.

All emerging damage to the teeth needs to be eliminated as soon as possible, and inflammatory processes in the mouth need appropriate treatment. Tartar should also be removed.

If all this complex of measures does not give the desired result, then you should seek the advice of a therapist. He will prescribe tests and refer you to specialists.

It should be remembered that toothpastes, elixirs, chewing gum, aerosol products only mask an unpleasant odor. They give, or even do not give at all, only a temporary effect. To completely get rid of the problem of halitosis, one should approach the issue in a comprehensive manner, focusing primarily on eliminating the root cause.

Folk remedies for getting rid of bad breath

How to exterminate the garlic-onion spirit:

1. Eat garlic and onion dishes at the beginning of the meal.

2. Eat them with fresh herbs (parsley, celery, cilantro).

3. Eat some nuts or seeds.

4. Cinnamon will help minimize the smell.

5. Chew a few coffee beans and hold them in your mouth.

6. Milk and dairy products will reduce the intensity of the odor.

Herbal rinse

To eliminate unpleasant odors, homemade (or purchased) rinses based on mint, oak bark, chamomile, arnica, and sage will help. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and have an antiseptic effect.

A glass of boiling water will require 1-2 tbsp. l. raw materials (you can use a mixture of herbs). The liquid is insisted, filtered and used after each meal.

Oil emulsion

An oil-water emulsion can be used as a rinse aid. Any vegetable oil, including sunflower, is suitable for its preparation. It is mixed 1:1 with water and shaken thoroughly until the composition is homogeneous.

Hydrogen peroxide

Disinfect the oral cavity with peroxide diluted with water. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with it, removing excess odors.

Sorbents such as activated charcoal can also solve the problem of bad smell. To do this, drink a few tablets of coal before bedtime, and then in the morning. Repeat for several days.

Buckwheat flour

Traditional medicine recommends a course of 10-day intake of buckwheat flour to combat unpleasant odors (half a teaspoon on an empty stomach daily). After a three-day break, the treatment is repeated.

Pine and mint

The natural flavor is pine needles and fresh mint. They need to be washed, lightly chewed and held by the cheek. Various fruits, especially citrus fruits, as well as carrots, celery root, Jerusalem artichoke, will also help freshen breath and remove plaque from teeth.

To eliminate unpleasant odor in the oral cavity, you need to use an integrated approach. And it will take time for the measures taken to have the necessary effect. If the cause of halitosis is of a medical nature, then you need to take care of your health, and not focus your efforts only on masking the stench.

It’s usually not very convenient to talk about the problem of repulsive breath, but this problem can affect any person. A repulsive smell is usually associated with violations of hygiene procedures, and therefore it becomes uncomfortable for a person when such a smell occurs. However, in fact, bad breath can be the result of more than just poor hygiene. Often, internal diseases are the cause of bad breath.

It is curious that a person tends to adapt very quickly to all kinds of smells, and over time a person gets used to and does not notice extraneous odors. Based on this quality of our body, we do not smell our own perfume, even if it is a very strong aroma, because we get used to it. We do not smell our own body and it is for this reason that it is very difficult to detect in ourselves smell from the mouth.

How do you know if you have bad breath? Of course, you can go for the most simplified version - you can just ask your friends. However, not everyone can decide on such an extraordinary step. In order not to experience false shame and embarrassment, it is necessary to treat this issue as a medical problem. In medicine, there is a special term for such a condition as an unpleasant odor from a person’s mouth - helitosis.

Helitosis can be constantly present in a person, or it can appear periodically. Therefore, even if you decide to interview your friends about your own smell in the mouth, one day it may not be there, and later it may appear again.

For some people, the causes of bad breath can be banal hunger (the stomach reacts to a hungry state in this way), while for others, pour over, on the contrary, the smell appears after eating. Most people pay little attention to this due to lack of time, or simply do not notice their smell. And if they notice, they are not in a hurry to go to the doctor with this problem, but they interrupt the unpleasant smell with menthol chewing gum or other mint preparations. Meanwhile, an extraneous repulsive odor from the mouth requires treatment. Moreover, helitosis, as mentioned above, can be the result of not only poor hygiene, but also the result of dental problems, as well as various diseases.

Like any disease, helitosis requires investigation into the causes of its occurrence before understanding how to carry it out. mouth odor treatment.

But first, you need to learn how to identify unattractive odors in your mouth. There are several tests that can be used to determine if there is an odor in the mouth or not.

Spoon odor test

If you take a clean spoon and hold it with the convex side over the surface of the tongue, naturally, the remains of saliva and, possibly, a white coating will remain on the spoon. After waiting a few seconds, sniff the spoon - the smell you hear is your mouth smell.

Wrist odor test

Lick your own wrist and wait a few seconds for it to dry before sniffing your wrist. What you hear is the smell, just from the front of the tongue. It should be understood that the smell of this part of the tongue is much weaker, since it is washed naturally by our saliva, which, as you know, contains antibacterial components. The back of the tongue has a stronger smell and it is she who exudes such an active unpleasant odor.

What is it anyway causes of bad breath and how to deal with it?

Causes of bad breath

First of all, it should be understood that an unpleasant repulsive odor is a waste product of pathological bacteria that have accumulated in the oral cavity, and therefore most often such a odor occurs, indeed, due to poor hygiene. Timely hygiene procedures will help to easily get rid of bad breath. If, after hygiene procedures, a smell still appears soon, that is, such procedures are not enough to exclude the appearance of a smell in the mouth for a long time, then the cause must be looked for deeper.

The cause of bad breath must be sought primarily in diseases of the oral cavity - caries, periodontal disease, periodontitis, pulpitis, gingivitis, stomatitis, the presence of tartar. All of these oral problems occur due to bacteria, which, having become the cause of such unpleasant diseases, also cause persistent odors in the mouth. Food residues in the form of plaque accumulate on stones, in periodontal pockets, in carious cavities, causing an unpleasant odor and further aggravating the disease. And, for example, such a disease as gangrenous pulpitis is precisely characterized by a specific smell, by which, in fact, this disease is determined.

The second place in the causes of bad breath is the dryness of the mucous membrane in the mouth. Saliva is our natural purifier. With each sip of saliva, a huge amount of bacteria is washed away. Accordingly, when salivation decreases, the process of cleansing the oral cavity also deteriorates.

Decreased salivation can be the cause of the oppressed work of the salivary glands, and can also be caused by diabetes mellitus, anemia, gastritis, neuroses, taking sleeping pills and drugs that calm the nervous system. In addition, reduced salivation is caused by such habits as smoking, breathing through the mouth, drinking alcohol.

This phenomenon has a medical term - xerostomia. It is because of the dry mouth that many people experience at night that we may have bad breath in the morning. During sleep, salivation decreases. The same can be observed during a long conversation, when we inhale air through the mouth. The mouth seems to "dry up". When such a phenomenon becomes chronic, then they talk about the disease xerostomia.

In third place among the causes of bad breath are internal diseases. These diseases include diseases:

• kidneys (kidney failure)
• liver (liver failure)
• stomach (gastritis, gastric ulcer, gastroduodenitis)
• infectious diseases of the respiratory tract (lung abscess, bronchiectasis)
• nasopharynx (tonsillitis, rhinitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis)

Whatever the various reasons bad breath Bacteria are the source of all problems.

Bacteria are always in our oral cavity, creating a certain microflora there. Any living organism, and bacteria is no exception, when eating, produces waste products, which are volatile sulfur compounds. It is these fetid sulphurous volatile compounds that we feel from the mouth. In medicine, such bacteria are called anaerobic, that is, those that can develop exclusively in an oxygen-free environment, which is just a plaque on the teeth in the oral cavity.

Periodontal disease, which is characterized by the appearance of periodontal pockets between the teeth and gums, in which anaerobic bacteria flourish, certainly requires treatment for the causes of bad breath.

How to treat bad breath?

Since, as we found out, bacteria are the main source of repulsive odor in the mouth, it is with them that we have to fight.

Among the most simple, but effective methods of treating the causes of bad breath are the following:

A balanced diet that combines more plant foods.

• Correct and regular hygiene procedures.
• Regular visits to the dentist for preventive professional cleaning of teeth from tartar, as well as, if necessary, timely treatment of possible dental and gum diseases.

It has long been noticed by doctors studying the problem of bad breath that when microbes consume protein, the release of unpleasant odor occurs with greater intensity. People who eat a lot of vegetables, especially vegetarians, are less likely to suffer from bad breath. No one encourages everyone to become vegetarians, since nutrition should still be balanced, but if you include more vegetables and fruits in your diet, then you will give less food for bacteria, which means that their metabolic products will be less formed, which, in fact, give off an odour.

High-quality hygiene procedures will also help get rid of bad breath. To do this, it is necessary to use all sorts of methods that the modern hygiene industry offers today - toothpastes, gels, rinses, dental floss. Today, in addition to conventional toothbrushes, the dental industry offers all kinds of electric toothbrushes, the use of which will allow you to better clean your teeth at home. The formation of plaque - a breeding ground for microbes - will occur more slowly, not so actively.

Of course, this does not eliminate the need to visit the dentist twice a year. Also, an important measure in the fight against and treatment of bad breath is the regular cleaning of not only the gums and teeth, but also the tongue. For some reason, many people forget about this organ when they clean their mouths. Meanwhile, it is in the tongue, as mentioned above, that an unpleasant smell is formed and accumulates. Many modern models of toothbrushes just include cleaning the tongue.

In favor of the fact that it is necessary to visit the dentist regularly is the fact that just the smell can be the “first sign” signaling an incipient dental disease. In addition, a professional doctor is able to detect alarming symptoms at an early stage of the disease and begin bad breath treatment with preventive measures.

For example, few people may know that if you drink plenty of water, then this is a very effective way to stimulate salivation, which in turn will help you quickly get rid of bad breath.

In the struggle for the good condition of the dentogingival system and the absence of unwanted odor in the mouth, rinsing with infusions of natural herbal remedies is very effective. For example, such medicinal and aromatic herbs do an excellent job with the smell in the mouth:

• anise seeds
• clove leaves
• parsley leaves
• cinnamon
• Dill
• strawberry leaves
• St. John's wort
• chamomile
• Oak bark
• wormwood

Some of these herbs have antiseptic properties, some relieve inflammation, which occurs just because of the presence of bacteria and is a source of bad breath. Moreover, it is not necessary to make infusions, you can simply chew clove seeds, or parsley, mint. Dill. This simulates the secretion of saliva, and saliva is known to be the very first natural purifier. Even chewing gum promotes salivation and can help keep your breath fresh. However, chewing gum by itself is not the remedy that eliminates the cause of bad breath.

Today, there are also many pharmaceutical products that help eliminate unwanted odor in the mouth. These are products that contain menthol oil, eucalyptus.

However, if preventive methods based on competent oral hygiene procedures do not help or help only for a while, then it is necessary to treat bad breath more comprehensively by contacting a dentist, as well as a therapist to determine possible internal diseases of the food system.

Why is mouth odor so bad?

In search of the causes of undesirable odor, it is worth remembering that the main source of odor is the waste products of pathological bacteria. When a significant amount accumulates in the oral cavity, they begin to exude terrible breath odor. Often a favorable environment for the reproduction of such bacteria is tartar.

The only way to combat this cause is regular hygiene procedures, as well as professional cleaning of teeth from tartar. Moreover, carrying out daily hygiene procedures, it is imperative to clean not only the gums and teeth, but also the tongue, because it is on the surface of the tongue, in particular on its back, that a large number of microbes that emit unpleasant odors accumulate. The front of the tongue is usually bathed in saliva, but the back of the tongue is a problematic source of bad breath.

Dental problems with teeth and gums, such as caries and periodontal disease, are also a serious cause for unwanted mouth odors. Open carious cavities are an excellent habitat for bacteria, and as a result of inflammation of the gums, periodontal pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) are formed, into which food remains fall, and eventually form subgingival tartar. It is in the tartar that microbes and bacteria accumulate. This is why bad breath is always present in people with strong dental deposits or with advanced dental diseases (see here for a reason). Obviously, the way to fight for fresh breath is regular visits to the dentist, dental treatment, professional cleaning of tartar.

It is also known that strong odor from the mouth may occur after eating. Food is a direct source of odor in the mouth. An indiscriminate diet of all kinds of fatty, smoked, highly spicy foods, especially in combination with alcohol, leads to a very pathological smell in the mouth. It is enough to remember what sensations we experience in the mouth, in the morning after the festive plentiful dishes.

It should also be noted that vegetarians are significantly less affected by bad breath. Therefore, it can be suggested that, as a preventive measure for a repulsive odor in the mouth, balance your diet, include more plant foods in your diet, and, if possible, exclude some foods from consumption, especially before going to work, to public places, to a business meeting or to friends. .

Among the products that create strong breath odor are the following:

• Dairy and cheese products - the milky coating remaining on the surface of the protein after drinking milk, as well as any lactic acid products, are an excellent food source for anaerobic bacteria. As a protein, these products break down into amino acids and sulfur compounds. The lactose contained in milk is also destroyed, forming the same reaction. As you know, sulfur compounds, volatilizing, create a very unpleasant odor.
• Garlic and onions - these products contain the strongest sulfur compounds, and after eating these products, volatile sulfur compounds begin to come from the skin and from the human mouth. There is a terrible smell from the mouth, reminiscent of the smell of rotten eggs.
• Coffee - oddly enough, this favorite drink by everyone also got into the list of "dangerous" products. The reason for this is the acidic environment that coffee forms in the mouth, instead of the usual for the body - alkaline. An acidic environment promotes the growth of pathological bacteria. It is no coincidence that some people experience a metallic taste in their mouths after drinking coffee.
• Fish and meat - high-protein foods are the best product for bacteria, and therefore after eating such foods, bacteria multiply very quickly in the mouth, the waste product of which is a strong breath.
• Alcohol - in itself has a specific smell, besides, it causes dry mouth. Weak salivation immediately leads to an increase in bacteria in the mouth and, accordingly, increases the unpleasant odor. True, alcohol cannot be attributed to products; rather, it is a bad habit.

Smoking is another bad habit that causes bad breath. Nicotine cannot be "killed" by anything. The only way to get rid of this kind of bad smell is not to smoke.

Another cause of bad breath can be plugs in the tonsils. Cork contributes to the enhanced formation of bacteria, and those, in turn, create a nasty smell in the mouth.

Did you find out why the smell from the mouth happens to be unpleasant. It remains to understand how to deal with this, what needs to be done so that the breath is always fresh and pleasant.

Prevention of bad breath

In matters of struggle for fresh breath, two directions can be distinguished:

• smell can be masked
• the smell can be excluded, that is, the causes of it can be excluded.

To mask bad breath, the dental hygiene industry today produces many products containing menthol and mint, as well as other flavored substances. However, in order to eradicate causes of bad breath, we can recommend the following:

• A balanced diet, however, it is worth knowing that there are some diets that adversely affect breathing. For example, people on a low-carbohydrate diet are at risk of getting a very repulsive mouth odor. The fact is that with such a diet, instead of carbohydrates, fats begin to break down, as a result of such splitting, ketone molecules are formed that exude a terrible smell in the mouth.
• Oral hygiene
• Stimulation of salivation

Saliva is the most faithful assistant in the fight for fresh breath. There are some foods that stimulate salivation:

• Parsley
• Green tea
• Yoghurt natural
• Apples, pears
• Oranges, berries, melon

All the suggested measures should definitely help and make your breath pleasant and fresh. However, if, nevertheless, subject to all the proposed measures, you are haunted by bad breath, then it is hardly worth looking for the cause in a dental problem. Rather, you need to contact a therapist for a comprehensive examination of possible internal diseases of the body as a whole.

The smell from the mouth (halitosis) can "poison" the normal life of a person. It often becomes a problem in communication (especially intimate), affects overall well-being (due to depression of mood associated with the problem). This phenomenon is perfectly eliminated by simple methods, if you know exactly the cause of the symptom. Considering that halitosis is rarely an independent manifestation (when using certain products), but occurs as a syndrome of various diseases, elimination is possible only after determining the true cause. Masking a bad smell, without eliminating the cause, is ineffective and only works for a certain period.

If bad breath bothers you with proper care, you should pay attention to your health. An unpleasant odor can be a manifestation of many pathologies of internal organs and systems.

Causes of bad breath

The smell from the mouth can have different causes, physiological or pathological.

Physiological may occur when:

• violation of hygiene measures;
• starvation or strict diets;
• bad habits (especially drinking and smoking);
• taking certain medications.

Eliminating bad breath of this nature is not difficult. It is enough to strengthen oral hygiene and apply camouflage.

However, this symptom is not always harmless, there are diseases of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and endocrine systems manifested by halitosis.

Each disease has its own reflection, halitosis can have the following character:

• putrid (rotting);
• feces;
• acetone;
• sour;
• rotten eggs;
• ammonia;
• sweet.

Based on the evaluation of the malodor, the doctor can determine the direction in which to look for the problem.

Types of halitosis

There are situations when an unpleasant odor is present only in the mind of the patient. Before you start looking for treatment options, you should make sure that the unpleasant syndrome is true. In medicine, the following types of halitosis are distinguished:

1. true - felt by others;
2. pseudohalitosis - insignificant, palpable by strangers only with close contact;
3. halitophobia - people around do not notice problems, and the patient is convinced of stale breath.

With pseudohalitosis, it is enough to clean the oral cavity more thoroughly or add an additional mouthwash to daily care.

Putrefactive

A putrid odor from the oral cavity may indicate pathological processes in the oral cavity:

• stomatitis;
• caries;
• pathology of the salivary glands;
• plaque;
• periodontitis.

Diseases of the respiratory system:

• sinusitis;
• angina;
• inflammatory processes of the lungs;
• allergic rhinitis;
• bronchitis.

No less common cause of putrid breath are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including the body's reaction to alcohol intake and tobacco abuse.

Halitosis is a serious symptom that requires prompt treatment.

Smell of feces

The smell of feces will cause intestinal pathology: obstruction, constipation, impaired motor function. Anorexia is accompanied by processes of decay and fermentation and is manifested by the smell of feces. Respiratory infections rarely give a fecal odor.

Acetone

The most harmless process that causes the smell of acetone is indigestion, but other causes are a very alarming signal, often reflecting damage to the pancreas (diabetes mellitus). Also, breathing acetone can cause damage to the liver or kidneys.

Diabetes

With a significant excess of sugar in the blood, a large number of ketone bodies (having a smell similar to acetone) are formed in the body. The kidneys cannot cope with the load of removing excess sugar breakdown products and the lungs are included in the process. Breath odor is caused by the release of ketone bodies through the respiratory system.

Advice. If you smell acetone in your family and friends, you should immediately hospitalize such people. The smell of acetone is a harbinger of diabetic coma.

Hyperthyroid crisis

In severe hyperthyroidism (a condition accompanied by excess thyroid hormones), a serious complication can occur - a crisis. The smell of acetone from the mouth and urine, muscle weakness and tremor, a sharp drop in blood pressure, accompanied by tachycardia, vomiting, and high body temperature are determined. All these signs require emergency hospitalization. Self-medication is impossible.

kidney disease

Violation of the excretory ability of the kidneys (acute renal failure, kidney dystrophy, nephrosis) also has an acetone smell.

Important. When determining the acetone shade in the breath, it is the basis for an emergency call for medical help. This symptom is not harmless and precedes serious conditions.

Sweet

A sweet smell from the mouth usually accompanies people suffering from diabetes or deficiency of vitamins and nutrients in the body. Careful oral hygiene is not able to eliminate the cause. Here you can not do without a full-fledged treatment.

Masking bad breath does not solve the problem in serious pathology, the use of odor-eliminating agents has a short-term effect

Sour

Sour breath causes increased acidity of the stomach, diseases accompanied by excess release of hydrochloric acid: gastritis, ulcers, esophageal deverticulitis, pancreatitis. In addition to the smell, heartburn with nausea is often expressed.

Rotten eggs

The smell from the mouth with rotten eggs often occurs due to pathologies of the stomach, namely, poisoning or gastritis with low acidity.

Ammonia

Ammonia breathing appears when the kidneys are dysfunctional.

Stomach diseases

Diseases of the stomach, manifested by unpleasant breathing most often, are of an infectious nature. The main cause of this symptom is the defeat of Helicobacter pylori.

Important. When one family member is infected, it leads to the spread of infection among all the inhabitants of the apartment. However, the disease does not occur in everyone. Carrying the bacterium does not cause significant harm as long as the immune system remains normal. When the body's defenses are weakened, the harmful agent begins to multiply, releasing toxins, which cause gastritis, ulcers, polyposis and the formation of malignant tumors. These diseases are often manifested by unpleasant breathing.

The smell from the mouth with gastritis occurs in forms with low acidity. In addition to inflammation of the mucous membrane, one more condition is necessary for the sensation of bad breath - this is a violation of the closure of the food sphincter. This pathology allows the smell to penetrate into the oral cavity through the esophagus. During normal operation of the sphincter, the smell will not be felt.

Important. Diseases of the stomach are not always accompanied by pain at the initial level. Symptoms such as: bad breath, heartburn, nausea, white coating on the tongue should be a signal to visit a gastroenterologist. Early diagnosis and full-fledged therapy of gastrointestinal diseases will allow you to count on a quick resolution of the disease. the lack of timely correction of impaired functions can lead to the development of an ulcer and an oncological process, which are prone to an unfavorable outcome.

Treatment for diseases of the stomach

After making a diagnosis and determining concomitant diseases, the doctor selects the necessary amount of therapeutic measures, which includes nutrition, drug therapy and traditional medicine.

Stomach diseases are a common cause of unpleasant amber

When the formation of bad breath due to the stomach is confirmed, drug treatment is usually prescribed, followed by a transition to alternative therapy methods and a maintenance regimen.

The most used medicines:

• Almagel is prescribed for gastritis, stomach ulcers. It has an analgesic and protective effect on the stomach;
• Omez helps to improve the breakdown of food, which prevents decay. Thus, eliminating the unpleasant amber;
• Antibacterial drugs are prescribed when inflammation is confirmed. The drug and course of treatment is selected depending on the stage of the disease and the form of the inflammatory process;
• Creon, Pancreotin, Festal - enzymatic preparations allow you to get rid of an unpleasant odor, accelerating the process of splitting food. Helps improve digestion and activate intestinal motility. In addition to malicious amber, they relieve pain in the gastrointestinal tract.

Advice. Treatment with drugs should be prescribed by a specialist, based on the results of the study. Self-medication is unacceptable, even if the problem recurs after a certain time, the previously prescribed therapy may not only be ineffective, but also aggravate the process.

How to identify bad breath

You can find out if you are the "owner" of bad breath at home by conducting one of the tests:

1. fold your palms into a handful and exhale sharply, the lack of freshness will immediately be felt;
2. spoon test. Run over the tongue several times and determine the smell, so you will know what the breath smells like;
3. licking the wrist, you can find out the presence of the smell of the front of the tongue, however, it should be borne in mind that what is captured from the wrist does not have a pronounced picture, the smell is stronger from the root of the tongue. With unpleasant breathing, pathology should already be determined.

Unpleasant sensations in the oral cavity (a feeling of discomfort, dryness, burning, pain or a taste sensation) can tell about stale breath. Any violation should be noticed and eliminated - this will be the best prevention of problems.

Who to contact

To find out the reasons that can cause bad breath, you should visit narrow specialists:

1. dentist;
2. therapist (gastroenterologist, pulmonologist);
3. surgeon.

Halitosis due to diseases of the oral cavity has more weight among other causes, the first thing to do is to visit a dentist

The list of specialists is presented in descending order according to the percentage of diseases accompanied by an unpleasant symptom. Most often, the cause lies in the lesion of the oral cavity, which is determined and eliminated when visiting the dentist and ENT (80%). However, in the absence of pathology of the oral cavity, it is necessary to continue the search for the cause, after its identification, undergo a course of treatment. At the time of treatment, strengthening hygiene procedures will improve the state of breathing. In the absence of proper care, the unpleasant odor only intensifies.

General principles for the treatment of halitosis

Eliminating the cause of the symptom is the main principle of treating bad breath.

Each disease requires a special approach, however, for any manifestation, it is important to strengthen control over the state of the oral cavity and use means that eliminate an unpleasant symptom (brushing teeth, mouthwash, gargling with herbs, using chewing gum and lozenges). Methods for eliminating bad breath will depend on the diagnosis:

• in the inflammatory process - the use of antibiotic therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs;
• in chronic tonsillitis - removal of the tonsils;
• sinusitis - puncture and washing of the sinuses;
• caries - sanitation of the oral cavity and treatment of affected teeth;
• hyperthyroidism - hormone therapy;
• with dryness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and impaired salivation - drink plenty of water.

Dealing with bad breath is easy with the right approach. Independent attempts to get rid of the disease may not be effective only because of the wrong approach. An unpleasant odor always acts as a symptom of a disease and it is simply impossible to determine the cause without certain knowledge and the results of a diagnostic study.

Man is a social creature. Communication accompanies us everywhere: at home, in shops, at work, with friends. And suddenly you notice that people are moving away, turning away from you. Agree, the moment is extremely unpleasant. And the reason for this may be halitosis, that is, bad breath.

What to do? How to get rid of bad breath and return the joy of communication to yourself and others? First of all, you need to understand the reasons why an unpleasant odor appears. And then start fixing them.

The reasons for the smell can be the following:

oral bacteria

The most common cause of bad breath is anaerobic bacteria living in our mouths. They decompose the remnants of protein foods, while releasing foul-smelling substances. Meat, fish, legumes, dairy products, eggs are especially rich in proteins. After eating such food, you should brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth thoroughly. The bulk of the bacteria settles in the nutritious white coating on the tongue, they accumulate under the gum line and in hard-to-reach places between the teeth. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase a brush not only for the teeth, but also for the tongue. It is necessary to clean the tongue as deeply as possible, since on the back of it the thickness of the plaque is much greater, which means there are also more bacteria there.

The active growth of putrefactive bacteria is promoted by diseases of the oral cavity: gingivitis, periodontal disease, stomatitis, caries. Just one decaying tooth can make your breath extremely unpleasant for others. Be sure to visit the dentist every six months. Take care of your gums. Blood is a nutritious and "tasty" environment for the vital activity of bacteria.

• Inflammatory processes in the oral cavity are perfectly healed by a tanning and astringent decoction of oak bark. Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed oak bark with a glass of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, insist for an hour and strain. Rinse with decoction 6-8 times a day. Useful for inflammation in the mouth of St. John's wort. In this case, a tablespoon of oak bark and St. John's wort are taken per glass of boiling water.
• In case of gum disease, it is recommended to wipe the gums 3 times a day with calamus root powder, you can use it for brushing your teeth, mixing one to one with tooth powder.
• It is useful to rinse your mouth with decoctions of calendula and chamomile. These herbs have healing, bactericidal and regenerating properties.

Foods we eat

Some foods can make breathing extremely unpleasant. Everyone knows the effect of eating garlic or onions, and cabbage and radishes also cause bad breath. When these products are digested, foul-smelling compounds are formed, which enter the lungs with the blood and are excreted from the body with the breath, giving it its smell. Therefore, do not consume these products before leaving the house, an important meeting, a date.

• Apples are especially recommended as refreshing foods. They contain natural sugars that successfully neutralize unpleasant odors.
• It is very useful to chew a few sprigs of celery, parsley or dill. They contain chlorophyll - one of the most powerful suppressors of pungent odors.
• Carrots are good for freshening your breath.
• In addition, you can try some spices: cardamom, you need to chew a few grains (you do not need to swallow them); allspice, insist in hot water and rinse your mouth. Equal proportions of clove, cinnamon or mint tea will also freshen your breath for a long time.

Bad habits

Another cause of bad breath is smoking and alcohol abuse. Everyone is familiar with the specific smell from the mouth of smokers. Nicotine, tar and other foul-smelling substances settle on the walls of the teeth and soft tissues of the oral cavity, causing an unpleasant smell. To get rid of it completely, you should quit smoking.

Or at least keep your mouth clean.

• You can try mouthwashes made from a decoction of wormwood or strawberries. A tablespoon of crushed leaves is poured into a glass of boiling water. Rinse with warm infusion 5-6 times a day, and preferably after each smoked cigarette.

When alcohol is abused, a product of its decay appears in the blood - acetaldehyde, a substance that is extremely dangerous for the body. Part of it is excreted through the lungs, giving the breath a terrible odor of fumes. Since the smell comes from the lungs, it is very difficult to neutralize it with rinses, fruit or chewing gum.

• It helps a little to chew on a piece of nutmeg.
• As a preventive measure, it is possible to recommend only the refusal to drink alcoholic beverages.

Diseases of the internal organs

The source of unpleasant specific odors from the oral cavity can be problems with the gastrointestinal tract or upper respiratory tract, as well as inflammation of the ears, throat or nose. In this case definitely need to see a doctor. In addition to the main treatment, try a few recipes:

• For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, take a tablespoon of dandelion roots, centaury grass, peppermint leaves and large plantain, pour 400 ml of boiling water and leave for 2-3 hours. The infusion is taken 3 times a day, 50 ml, half an hour before meals, and they also rinse their mouth several times a day.
• The smell associated with diseases of the stomach or intestines will help to remove salt water. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in half a liter of water, drink water in the morning on an empty stomach. Repeat the process for five days. To avoid irritation in the stomach, a few minutes after drinking water, be sure to drink something milky or eat porridge. Similar purge contraindicated with any inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
• If the cause of the smell is inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, try an herbal infusion for rinsing the mouth from the leaves and flowers of marshmallow, marigold and yarrow flowers, and plantain leaves. In the evening, take a tablespoon of each plant, pour 400 ml of water and insist until morning. Rinse 5-6 times a day.

Dry mouth

You, for certain, paid attention to the fact that in the mornings the breath is not fresh. This is due to the fact that the work of the salivary glands slows down at night. Saliva is the strongest natural antiseptic. With its lack of bacteria in the oral cavity multiply more actively and, consequently, there is a smell from the mouth. The causes of dryness can be serious diseases such as diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, infections, so this is a reason to see a doctor. If the possibility of a serious illness is excluded, dryness can occur due to medication, beriberi, menopause, and also in people who, by virtue of their profession, are forced to talk a lot.

• Chewing gum helps to get rid of dryness. Chewing stimulates salivation.
• Drink more water. Make it a rule to drink a glass of water every hour.
• Avoid alcohol, smoking, sweets, and caffeinated drinks.
• Eat more fruits - fruit acids stimulate salivation.

Happy communication!

Anna Mironova

Reading time: 11 minutes

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Many are familiar with the situation when, when communicating with a person, you want to cover your mouth with your palm. It is especially offensive when bad breath causes an interrupted kiss, problems in communication or even at work. This phenomenon is called halitosis, and it is not as harmless as it seems.

9 Causes of Bad Breath – So Why Is Your Breath Stale?

Sooner or later, everyone will experience halitosis. It pretty much spoils our lives and sometimes makes us give up our desires and intentions. Where do the "legs" of halitosis "grow" from?

We list the main reasons:

• Insufficient hygiene.
• Advanced caries and other dental diseases.
• Taking medications.
• Microbial plaque on teeth and tongue.
• Wearing dentures.
• Decreased secretion of saliva.
• Smoking.
• The smell that remains after eating certain foods (alcohol, fish, spices, onions and garlic, coffee, etc.).
• effects of diets.

Halitosis as a symptom of serious diseases - be attentive to yourself!

In addition to the above, there are more serious reasons for the appearance of halitosis. In some cases, it can be unkind a sign of any disease.

For example…

1. Gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (note - hydrogen sulfide smell).
2. Chronic tonsillitis, tonsillitis or sinusitis.
3. Pneumonia and bronchitis.
4. Kidney disease (note - the smell of acetone).
5. Diabetes mellitus (note - the smell of acetone).
6. Diseases of the gallbladder (bitter bad smell).
7. Liver diseases (in this case, a specific fecal or fishy smell is noted).
8. Tumor of the esophagus (note - the smell of rot / decomposition).
9. Tuberculosis in active form (note - the smell of pus).
10. Kidney failure (approx. - "fishy" smell).
11. Xerostomia caused by medication or prolonged mouth breathing (putrid odor).

It is worth noting also pseudohalitosis. This term is used when speaking of a condition when a person with fresh breath “imagines” an unpleasant odor in his mouth.

How to detect bad breath in yourself - 8 ways

In most cases, we ourselves know that we have bad breath.

But if you want to know for sure (suddenly it only seems to you), there are several ways to check this:

1. Observe the behavior of your interlocutors. If they move to the side, turn away when communicating, or aggressively offer you candy and chewing gum, there is a smell. Or you can just ask them about it.
2. Bring your palms to your mouth with “boats” and exhale sharply. If an unpleasant odor is present, you will immediately feel it.
3. Run a cotton floss between your teeth and sniff it.
4. Lick your wrist and, after waiting a bit, sniff the skin.
5. Scrap the back of your tongue with a spoon and sniff too.
6. Wipe the tongue with a cotton pad, sniff.
7. Buy a special tester in a pharmacy. With it, you can determine the freshness of your breath on a 5-point scale.
8. Get a special examination at the dentist.

Remember to test In a few hours after using odor masking products (elastic bands, pastes, sprays) and at the end of the day.

"Inna Virabova, President of the International Association of Dentists ( IDA), Oral-B and Blend-a-Med expert: » : The key to a satisfactory cleaning of the teeth is a brush that will thoroughly remove the accumulated plaque during the day, preventing its transformation into stones or carious lesions.

This is where the Oral-B electric toothbrush comes in handy, with a pulsating back and forth motion. The round nozzle is able to sweep away plaque and massage the gums, preventing the occurrence of inflammatory processes.

In addition, Oral-B toothbrushes are equipped with a tongue-cleaning mode, because the majority of bacteria accumulate on it, creating an unpleasant odor and increasing the risk of gum and tooth disease.

Modern medicine in the treatment of halitosis

Nowadays, there are very effective methods for diagnosing this disease.

• The use of a halimeter which, in addition to diagnosis, also helps in assessing the success of the treatment of halitosis.
• The composition of dental plaque is also examined.
• And the back of the patient's tongue is studied. It should match the color of the oral mucosa. But with a brown, white or cream shade, we can talk about glossitis.

Considering that in most cases true halitosis is one of the symptoms of a certain disease, It is worth seeing other doctors:

1. ENT consultation help to eliminate polyps and sinusitis.
2. On a visit to a gastroenterologist we find out if there is diabetes, problems with the kidneys / liver or gastrointestinal tract.
3. At the dentist we eliminate foci of infection and remove bad teeth. A course of professional / oral hygiene at the same time as the removal of dental deposits will not interfere. When diagnosing periodontitis, the use of special irrigators is usually recommended.

9 effective ways to get rid of bad breath at home

You have a meeting soon, you are waiting for guests or going on a date ...

How can you quickly eliminate bad breath?

• The most basic way is to brush your teeth. Cheap and cheerful.
• Spray freshener. For example, with mint flavor. Today, such a device can be found in any pharmacy. Just toss it in your bag and have it always at hand. It is enough to spray 1-2 times into the oral cavity, and you don’t have to worry that they will run away from you after a minute of communication. Choose a spray with preventive properties (protection against the formation of tartar, plaque, caries).
• rinse aid. Also useful thing for teeth and mouth. In addition to freshening breath, it also has an additional function - protection against plaque, strengthening teeth, etc. But do not rush to spit it out right away - hold the liquid in your mouth for at least 30 seconds, then its effect will be more pronounced.
• Refreshing sweets. For example, mints. They will not bring much benefit, given the sugar content, but masking the smell is easy.
• Chewing gum. Not the most useful method, especially if you have stomach problems, but perhaps the easiest. Chewing gum outside the home is even easier to find than lollipops. The optimal flavor is minty. It is most effective for masking odor. In order not to harm yourself, chew it for a maximum of 10 minutes, only after meals and without dyes (pure white).
• Mint, greens. Sometimes it is enough to chew on a leaf of mint, parsley or green salad.
• Fruits, vegetables and berries. The most effective are citrus fruits, apples, bell peppers.
• Other "camouflage" products: yogurt, green tea, chocolate
• Spices: cloves, nutmeg, fennel, anise, etc. You just need to hold the spice in your mouth or chew one clove (a piece of walnut, etc.).

And, of course, do not forget about the prevention of halitosis:

1. Electric Toothbrush. She cleans her teeth much more effectively than usual.
2. Dental floss. This "instrument of torture" helps to remove the "remnants of feasts" from the interdental spaces.
3. Brush to remove plaque on the tongue. Also a very useful invention.
4. Hydration of the mouth. Persistent dry mouth can also cause halitosis. Saliva has antibacterial properties, and reducing its amount, respectively, leads to an increase in the number of bacteria. Keep your mouth moist.
5. Decoctions for rinsing the mouth / throat. You can use chamomile, mint, sage and eucalyptus, oak or magnolia bark. The latter is the best for erasing this problem.
6. Nutrition. Avoid garlic, coffee, meat and red wine. These foods lead to halitosis. An excess of fast carbohydrates is the path to caries and plaque on the teeth, give preference to fiber.
7. Brushing teeth twice a day for one and a half to two minutes, choosing brushes of medium hardness. We change the brush at least once every 3 months. It is also recommended to purchase an ionizer-sterilizer for your brush - it will disinfect your "tool".
8. After eating, be sure to remember about rinsing your mouth. Preferably, a decoction of herbs, a special rinse or dental elixir.
9. We visit the dentist every six months and solve dental problems in a timely manner. Do not forget to be examined by a therapist for chronic diseases.
10. toothpaste choose one that contains natural antiseptic ingredients that can reduce the activity of bacteria.
11. Drink more water.
12. Treat bleeding gums promptly It also causes an unpleasant odor.
13. With dentures remember that they should be thoroughly cleaned every day.

If, despite all efforts, the smell continues to haunt you - ask the experts for help!

The site site provides background information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible only under the supervision of a conscientious physician. If you experience anxiety symptoms, contact a specialist!