Why does bad breath happen? How to get rid of bad breath

Bad breath is a very common occurrence among us. The reason for this are various diseases of the digestive system.

Halitosis is another problem in communicating with other people. Modern medicine calls such a condition when a person’s mouth smells of an extremely unpleasant odor - halitosis. In Latin - Halitoz.

In fact, halitosis cannot be called an independent disease; rather, it is a sign of pathological processes occurring in the body. In the absence of proper oral care, bad odor increases, causing discomfort not only to the patient, but also to others.

In this article, we will look at why adults develop bad breath, what are the main causes of this symptom, and how to get rid of it at home.

How to check if your breath smells?

Many people who have unpleasant repulsive breath are not even aware of the problem. It is good if a close person or friend points to it. But this is not always possible, relatives are afraid to offend a loved one, and colleagues prefer to reduce communication with him to a minimum. But the problem remains.

There are several ways to test yourself:

Wrist test. Here it will be enough to lick the wrist and let the saliva dry. The smell that you will smell after a few seconds is the smell of the front of your tongue. As a rule, it is much weaker than what it really is, because the front of the tongue is cleaned by our saliva, which contains antibacterial components, while the back of the tongue, in turn, is the very breeding ground for unpleasant odors.
You can also try breathe into your palm and instantly smell what you exhale. Or try sticking out your lower lip, pushing your jaw forward a little, and roll your upper lip inward and exhale sharply with your mouth, then smell what you exhaled.
Spoon test. Take a teaspoon, turn it over and run it over the surface of your tongue several times. A little white coating or saliva will remain on the spoon. The smell emanating from them is the smell of your breath.

Additional signs include the formation of plaque on the tongue, inflammation of the mucous membrane, a feeling of an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth. These symptoms do not directly indicate halitosis and may vary, depending on the cause of the disease and the presence of complicating factors.

Causes of bad breath

The causes of halitosis can vary greatly, but before looking for them, you need to make sure that this smell really exists. Modern doctors distinguish several types of halitosis:

True halitosis, in which unpleasant breathing is objectively noticed by people around. The reasons for its occurrence may be related to the peculiarities of physiology, insufficient oral hygiene, metabolic processes in the body, or be symptoms of certain diseases.
Pseudogalitosis is a subtle bad breath that can be felt on close contact with a person. Usually in such a situation, the patient exaggerates the problem and it is solved quite simply by strengthening oral hygiene.
Halitophobia is a person's belief in the smell from his mouth, however, this is not confirmed by either the dentist or the people around him.

Also according to the statistics:

80% of the causes of bad breath are associated with problems in the oral cavity.
10% with ENT diseases.
only 5-10% with serious diseases of internal organs and systems - the liver, kidneys, organs of the gastrointestinal tract, organs of the respiratory system, hormonal disruptions, metabolic disorders, autoimmune and oncological diseases.

The most basic thing to understand is that the main cause of bad breath coming from the human mouth is the vital activity of anaerobic bacteria (that is, bacteria that grow and multiply without oxygen). Their waste products - volatile sulfur compounds - are the very smelly gases that smell very unpleasant and lead to bad breath in humans.

Why does bad breath occur?

But there are many reasons that lead to the multiplication of these bacteria. We will analyze them in detail:

Poor oral hygiene. Most often, putrid breath is associated with poor oral hygiene, for example, when a person does not use dental floss to clean the interdental spaces from food debris. Surely many of you have felt the stink of the mouth of colleagues who had a bite to eat at work, but did not brush their teeth.
gum disease(and periodontitis). The cause of these ailments is poor oral hygiene, soft microbial plaque and hard tartar. When the amount of toxins secreted by the microorganisms of plaque and calculus exceeds the capabilities of the local immunity of the oral cavity, inflammation develops in the gums.
. Carious defects of the teeth are filled with a huge amount of pathogenic microflora and food remains always remain in them. This food and tooth tissue quickly begin to rot and, as a result, your breath smells bad. If you want to eliminate bad breath, first of all you need to cure bad teeth.
Tartar development- dental plaque that seeps through mineral salts (calcium salts) with its hardening and the development of a chronic infection in it. More often, tartar is the result of gum pathology (gingival pockets), which loosely cover the necks of the teeth and the spaces between their lateral edges.
Diseases of the digestive system( , ). In this case, this problem is caused by the pathology of non-closure of the esophageal sphincter, when odors from the stomach penetrate directly through the esophagus into the oral cavity.
. Those who suffer from chronic inflammation of the tonsils - the same smells bad from the mouth. If you have a weak immune system or a lot of infection in the oral cavity, then in this case, periodic inflammation of the tonsils can develop into a sluggish chronic form of inflammation. People who suffer from this form of inflammation of the tonsils often complain of terrible breath.
- an inflammatory disease that is accompanied by the formation of ulcers on the oral mucosa. Ulcers and dense white plaque are the source of halitosis.
- an inflammatory process in the membrane of the tongue, which can occur in conjunction with gingivitis or stomatitis.
Intestinal pathology(enteritis and). As a result of inflammatory processes in the intestines, toxic substances enter the bloodstream, which the body removes, including through the lungs, as a result of which bad breath appears.
Another common cause of halitosis is dry mouth: saliva does not moisturize or clean the mouth by washing away plaque and dead cells. Thus, the cells located on the gums, the inner surface of the cheeks and the tongue decompose, causing halitosis. Dry mouth can be caused by the use of alcohol, certain medications, pathologies of the salivary glands, and so on.
Medications: Many medications, including antihistamines and diuretics, can cause dry mouth, which can cause bad breath. This odor and treatment are often intertwined - a number of drugs can lead to bad odor (insulin, triamterene, paraldehyde, and many others).
Quite often, the cause of bad breath is some products. Of course, onion and garlic are rightfully considered champions here. However, after noisy feasts with a lot of meat and fatty foods, bad breath can also appear. True, and it passes pretty soon.
Tobacco products: Smoking and chewing tobacco leave chemicals that linger in the mouth. Smoking can also precipitate other causes of bad breath, such as gum disease or oral cancer.

No matter how many different reasons cause bad breath, bacteria are the source of all problems. They 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.

Experts believe that one of the most obvious reasons for its appearance is the white matter that accumulates on the back of the tongue. It occurs when a person brushes his teeth incorrectly, leaving the tongue unattended.

How to treat bad breath

In the event of bad breath, treatment is a separate topic of conversation, but what can be done to prevent it from appearing is important to know even for those who do not suffer from such a problem. After all, bad breath, if it appears, cannot be masked later with mint candy.

As noted above, food particles left after eating are the breeding ground for bacteria. That is why so much depends on oral hygiene. It is recommended to take care that after eating there are no pieces of food left in the mouth, which, among other things, contribute to the formation of plaque and tartar. This requires:

brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush three times a day to remove food particles left in your mouth and stuck in your teeth;
clean interdental spaces with dental floss;
clean the back of the tongue daily with a soft-bristled brush;
to stimulate salivation, regularly eat fresh fruits and vegetables, adhere to a diet;
to eliminate xerostomia (dry mouth), rinse your mouth with warm water;
visit the dentist regularly.

At home, rinsing with vegetable oil helps to get rid of bad breath. To do this, take a small portion of the oil in your mouth and hold it there for 10-15 minutes. The oil has a good property to dissolve all decay products. Then spit and rinse your mouth thoroughly. You can't swallow this oil! With the correct procedure, the oil should become cloudy.

The ability to remove an unpleasant odor is possessed by infusions of herbs such as peppermint, string, cumin, bitter wormwood. To clean the pockets in the gums, it is good to use a rinse after eating with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, diluted with water 1: 1. Peroxide will clean even the deepest pockets well and eliminate the problem.

In addition, there are a large number of modern means of quickly getting rid of bad breath: aerosol fresheners, chewing gum, lollipops, etc. They are characterized by both rapid effectiveness and low stability, due to the short duration of action.

Which doctor to contact

If a bad breath appears, you need to contact a dentist, undergo a professional cleaning of your teeth, cure diseases of your teeth, gums, and get rid of tartar.

If there is no effect, you need to consult a gastroenterologist, and in more rare cases, an ENT doctor (for sinusitis or chronic rhinitis), a pulmonologist (for bronchiectasis), an endocrinologist (for diabetes mellitus).

Surely at least once in a lifetime, any adult has suffered from bad breath. Doctors call this phenomenon halitosis , and it can be of varying severity, therefore, there are quite a lot of manifestations of pathology. This is due to the fact that bad breath can be caused by a variety of reasons - starting with obvious bad habits or interference in the well-established functioning of the body, and ending with the first manifestations of diseases of vital organs.

Determining the problem in an adult

If a person is concerned about bad breath in the morning, then this is a completely normal phenomenon that occurs as a result of the drying of the oral cavity, as well as the processes occurring at the base of the tongue, around it, between the teeth and in the gum pockets. This can be corrected by a thorough cleaning of the mouth or by a check-up with a dentist.

note

The exact opposite is chronic bad breath. This speaks of a pathology that cannot be ignored. We will talk in detail about the symptoms, causes and methods of struggle in this material.

Methods for self-identification of pathology in oneself

Before diagnosing yourself, you should make sure that the problem really exists, and that it bothers you all the time, and not just in the morning. If you are ashamed to ask relatives about such a shame, then there are several ways when you can determine the severity of this pathology yourself. The fact is that exhaling and inhaling it is not always possible to fully feel the purity of your own breath, therefore there is a so-called bad breath test.

How to test your breath:

The usual sharp exhalation into the palms - almost everyone does this to determine the presence of stale breath;
Run your tongue across your wrist, wait a few seconds, and sniff your saliva. Often, bad breath will be several times stronger than that of saliva from the tip of the tongue, where the processes that cause the development of bad breath are inhibited by saliva. As mentioned above, problem areas are located under the tongue, at the far walls of the inner side of the cheek, in the gum area and between the teeth;
Lick a spoon or even put it under your tongue - then by smell it will be possible to more accurately determine the degree of pathology.

To identify signs of halitosis, it is worth looking at more serious manifestations of the disease. They will help to make sure that it is necessary to start fighting the disease.

Symptoms of pathology:

White or yellow coating in the mouth and on the tongue;
Dryness in the mouth area;
Burning sensation in the mouth;
When rinsing the cavity, a sensation of an unpleasant taste;
Chronic metallic taste in the mouth (sour, sweet and bitter taste).

Main causes of bad breath

Breathing problems are a concern for many people, but the prerequisites for halitosis can be very different. In some cases, bad breath can signal the presence of a more serious illness.

Can be divided causes of bad breath in adults into two conditional categories:

Internal factors;
External factors.

Internal factors include all deviations in the work of the body - that is, disease . External should include direct intervention in the work of the body - that is, bad habits , excessive consumption of harmful products, and sometimes vice versa - a reduction in the use of vital substances. In addition, this category includes violation of hygiene rules . Let's consider these factors in more detail.

Illness as the cause of bad breath

The most serious causes of bad breath are third-party diseases, the result of which is breathing problems. In most cases, halitosis is caused by diseases of the gums and teeth . Less rarely, halitosis can be caused by diseases of the ENT organs. In these cases, the favorable atmosphere for the reproduction and spread of bacteria and microorganisms is to blame. Patients who delay treatment for a long time almost always develop dryness and bad breath.

In other cases, patients come to the doctor whose bad breath is a symptom. diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, respiratory system, thyroid gland .

What diseases can cause bad breath:

Gingivitis;
Periodontitis;
Caries;
Tartar;
Glossitis;
Deviations in the work of the salivary glands;
Stomatitis;
Chronic tonsillitis;
Bronchitis;
Rhinitis;
Nephrosis;
Kidney dystrophy;
sinusitis;
Tuberculosis;
Pneumonia;
Gastritis;
Ulcer;
Enteritis;
Colitis;
hyperthyroid crisis;
Diabetes.

Bad breath diseases increase as the general condition worsens, so it is so important not to ignore this symptom, but to immediately get checked for the presence of diseases by professionals.

Causes of halitosis in a healthy person

What can cause bad breath, if we are not talking about diseases? The causes of bad breath in healthy adults are determined by several external factors - that is, interference in the work of the body from the outside.

Medication use

Some medications (antihistamines, diuretics, tranquilizers, antidepressants, and drugs designed to normalize blood pressure) have side effects that cause dehydration of tissues in the oral cavity . Dryness itself causes an unpleasant odor: the less saliva in the mouth, the less the cavity is cleared of food debris, dead cells and plaque. As a result, decomposition processes in the mouth cause halitosis.

tobacco use

As a result of smoking or chewing tobacco products, chemicals eat into the mucous and soft tissues of the oral cavity, remain on the teeth and almost never leave the smoker's breath - that is, they are the cause of chronic halitosis. Among other things, smoking provokes dehydration of the oral cavity - another harbinger of bad breath.

Dentures

If a person with dentures has experienced odor problems, it means that they are not cleaning them well enough, and the bacteria that accumulate on the surface of the dental structure cause a strong odor. You can find out how unpleasant breathing is by doing a little experiment: you need to leave the prosthesis overnight in a closed container. The smell accumulated there during the night will show how much halitosis is running.

Diet, fasting

Strict diets or even fasting have a detrimental effect on the work of the whole organism, and bad breath is just one of the symptoms that its work is disturbed. Doctors advise switching to proper regular nutrition and a balanced diet.

Types of bad odor

What can be bad breath, and what is this or that "aroma" associated with? What you should pay attention to when there is a smell from the mouth is its distinguishing feature. It is the smell that can tell what exactly the problem is with the patient.

Ammonia

If the patient, paying attention to breathing, feels an unpleasant taste of ammonia, perhaps this is a signal from the body indicating kidney problems.

Sour

Breath with a sour taste warns of problems caused by increased acidity of the stomach. If an unpleasant odor is accompanied by bouts of heartburn or nausea, then this symptom of gastritis, pancreatitis, ulcers and many other diseases from this area.

Rotten eggs

This unpleasant smell warns of pathologies of the digestive tract accompanied by low acidity. Sometimes this breath can be a sign food poisoning.

Acetone

Breath with a taste of acetone often indicates serious pathologies of the pancreas, including diabetes and hyperthyroidism. Sometimes this bad breath is a warning of a malfunction. kidneys, liver and stomach.

Putrefactive

Breath with a hint of putrefaction appears when diseases of the teeth, gums, salivary glands, diseases of the respiratory system. Sometimes this smell can be caused by disorders of the digestive system.

Cala

The smell of feces from the mouth often indicates serious violations in the work intestines.

Sweet, metallic

Breathing of this type is observed in patients suffering from diabetes. diabetes or beriberi.

Ways to deal with bad breath

How to get rid of this problem? First of all, any doctor will say that you need to accurately identify the cause, and then deal with the elimination of the effect. It is in our power to deal with the problem comprehensively, without missing any trifles.

What to do to get rid of bad breath?

Having accepted the problem, you should know how you can deal with it on your own. Let's consider in detail how to deal with bad breath.

Care

First of all, special attention should be paid oral hygiene because bacteria and decaying food particles cause bad breath. When cleaning, be sure to pay attention to all surface of the tongue . In addition to regular brushing of teeth, experts advise using dental floss for cleaning hard-to-reach spaces between teeth.

Visit doctor

If such problems are identified, it is imperative to pass general tests and visit dentist, gastroenterologist, ENT, endocrinologist or pulmonologist . But if, in addition to unpleasant breathing, there is also pain, burning, discomfort in a certain area of the body, this is what you should pay attention to first of all.

How to deal with the disease at home

An adult suffering from halitosis faces a lot of difficulties in everyday life related to communication, work, personal life. In addition to the methods listed above, there are emergency, but proven ways to eliminate bad breath, which will be useful to those who have just begun to deal with pathology.

Halitosis will help to remove simple remedies that can be found in every home.

Herbal infusions

Methods of combating halitosis proven by our ancestors - rinsing the mouth with infusions of medicinal herbs. For these purposes, cumin, peppermint, bitter wormwood and a string are suitable.

Vegetable oil

Take a tablespoon of oil in your mouth and rinse your mouth for 10 minutes. After that, the liquid must be spit out. In the process of rinsing, decomposition products will dissolve and be washed out of hard-to-reach places. If after the procedure the oil becomes cloudy, then it has completed its task.

Special solution

Bad breath can be removed with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%) and drinking water in a 1:1 ratio. Experts advise using this method after meals.

Cosmetic concealers

More obvious, but short-lived remedies are air fresheners, rinses, and mouth sprays. Many people use lozenges and chewing gum, but these remedies help for a very short time.

The problem of bad breath haunts almost the entire population of the world. Often, dealing with it is quite simple by brushing your teeth with a refreshing toothpaste on a toothbrush. However, in some situations, if the smell thins out the aroma of rot, this is quite difficult to do. This disease is called halitosis, and by its nature it causes its owner not pain, but psychological problems, sometimes leading to a depressive state.

That is why the putrid smell should be immediately disposed of in order to lead a normal personal life and good communication. To do this, the first step is to find out the root cause of the appearance of such an unpleasant aroma and the possibility of curing it.

Sources of halitosis

The smell of rotten breath is a serious reason to go to the dentist.

On my own halitosis - an unpleasant persistent odor from the mouth, which cannot be eliminated with home hygiene products.

This problem is inherently not a disease at all, but simply helps a person to understand that there are disorders in the body.

That is why the first thing a person should consult a dentist, because often the source can be found in the mouth area. Only after that, if the dentist is not able to detect it, the examination of the internal organs begins.

Doctors refer to the most famous sources of the appearance of a disgusting smell:

problem teeth- the presence of caries, inflammation of the gums and bone tissues, improper treatment when placing a filling, stomatitis;
fungal infection or disturbances in the functioning of the salivary glands, especially in old age, when the flow of saliva becomes much less;
diseases of the internal organs- intestines, pulmonary and endocrine systems;
the appearance of bad breath in women can provoke period;
present in the body inflammation.

Causes of an unpleasant odor

The source of halitosis can be not only dental problems, but also diseases of internal organs.

In general, all the causes of the appearance of an unpleasant smell of rot from the mouth can be divided into 2 large groups:

physiological stem from an improper diet and terrible oral hygiene;
pathological causes are already affected by more serious problems with internal organs and dental diseases.

Cause of the smell	Main features	Associated symptoms
Disorders in the gastrointestinal tract	With increased acidity in the stomach, ulcers and gastritis, a sour smell from the mouth occurs. Dysbacteriosis and intestinal obstruction - heavy odor of feces. With low acidity or poisoning - hydrogen sulfide.	The most common symptoms are nausea and vomiting. Bitterness is constantly felt in the mouth. Constipation, diarrhea and stomach pain are characteristic of gastrointestinal diseases
Respiratory diseases	Smells like rot and rot	Severe shortness of breath, sometimes turning into suffocation, cough: dry or wet depending on the disease, coughing up blood
Severe caries in advanced stage	Rotten musty smell	Sharp, but short-term pain with shootings, brown spots on the teeth
Presence of dentures in the mouth	putrid odor	Bacteria accumulate on dentures
Diseases of the ENT system	Usually the smell resembles the smell of pus, depending on the disease, it can be stronger.	Immune system disorders, inflammation in damaged areas, high body temperature, discharge from the ears and nose, pain
Chronic smoking	The aroma of rot and the specific aroma of tobacco	Dry mouth, gray skin
Salivary gland disorders	The fetid smell of rot	Dry mouth due to low salivation, shooting pain in damaged saliva and swelling
Diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2	Unpleasant smell of acetone and fruit	Constant fatigue, frequent urination, constant hunger and thirst, numbness in the arms and legs
Liver failure	Smells like rotten fish and ammonia	Bitterness in the mouth, nausea, jaundice, muscle weakness, shortness of breath
Periodontitis	Sulfur aroma	Food getting between the teeth, a feeling of their unsteadiness, discomfort when chewing, the formation of pockets in the gums

Putrid breath in children and adolescents

If a child has bad breath, pay attention to the accompanying symptoms.

In children, bad breath can appear due to many reasons. He can hit anyone, from infants to teenagers. The main factor is almost always the increased reproduction of bacteria and other pathogenic microbes in the tongue or on the tonsils.

Serious internal diseases at this age develop quite rarely, so the first thing you should pay attention to is oral hygiene and the balance of microflora.

First thing pay attention to saliva. Often, severe dryness in the mouth can be seen, which leads to the appearance of aroma. It occurs due to a chronic runny nose, growths on the tonsils, or with frequent breathing through the mouth, especially during sleep.
The second most likely factor is the appearance of caries and the development of other diseases of a dental nature, this issue is especially relevant in adolescents, when wisdom teeth begin to appear, and in infants during teething, accompanied by inflammation.
The appearance of diseases gastrointestinal tract.

In any case, when bad breath appears, parents should take the child for a comprehensive examination to identify the root cause and timely treatment.

Diagnosis

For self-diagnosis, use dental floss.

Determining if a person has a problem with bad breath is easy enough even at home. Objectively, it is best to use another person for this, who will tell you the result.

To detect plaque, you can use dental floss by running it over the tooth. Take a closer look at whether a yellow coating has formed on it, and after 30 seconds, sniff it. The aroma that appears will be the result.

In medical institutions, special devices are used that are designed to detect the amount of unpleasant substances in the exhaled air. Already for a clearer identification of the root cause of halitosis, the following methods are used:

examination of the oral cavity for inflammation, caries and redness;
a blood test to detect inflammatory processes in the body and an increase in sugar levels in diabetes;
urinalysis to identify problems with the renal system;
examination of the gastrointestinal tract and liver in the form of ultrasound and gastroduodenoscopy;
inspection of the lingual back.

The doctor must take anamnesis. As you can see, one dentist cannot make an accurate diagnosis, since the reasons can be not only in dental problems, so an otolaryngologist, pulmonologist and gastroenterologist often come to the rescue.

Treatment for bad breath

If the source of an unpleasant odor is the oral cavity, its complete sanitation will be required.

If diseases of the internal organs are the source of the smell of rot, then the first treatment should be aimed at solving these problems. Here, doctors of individual specializations are already coming to the rescue, and it happens according to generally accepted standards.

Another thing is when bad breath is affected by dental diseases.

If there is a problem with bad teeth, they are treated or removed if it is impossible to save them. The dentist independently determines the recommended course of action.
Professional teeth cleaning - the procedure helps to remove all plaque on the gums and under them.
Treatment of inflammation on the gums, sanitation of the mouth, replacement of fillings and dentures in case of their incorrect installation.
Training from a hygienist in proper self-hygiene of the oral cavity.
Correction of salivation to normal when it is lowered.

Pharmaceutical preparations from the aroma from the mouth.

Pharmacies offer a number of products to help cope with an unpleasant odor. Before buying, be sure to check that they have antibacterial properties, regardless of the type.

lollipops Septogal and iFresh will easily freshen your breath for a couple of hours due to their antiseptic properties that help destroy even bacterial membranes;

balm Asepta contains chlorhexidine in its composition, which destroys all bacteria, and essential refreshing oils will make your breath fragrant;

spray Glister or OraLabs has antimicrobial properties, refreshing the oral cavity, simultaneously providing a disinfectant effect.

Traditional medicine in the fight against bad breath

As an adjunct therapy, use herbal decoctions.

There are many grandmother's recipes aimed at combating putrefactive odors.

mint decoction- put a spoonful of dry mint in a glass, pour boiling water over it and leave to infuse for an hour. Then strain and add a few drops of lemon juice or table vinegar. Rinse your mouth with this decoction several times a day for 14 days.
Chamomile tea- dry chamomile (1 spoon) brew with a glass of water, boil for five minutes, then drink. This should be done several times a day, each time preparing a new drink.
A decoction of bitter wormwood- take a couple of tablespoons of wormwood, brew it with boiling water and let the mixture brew for a while. Rinse aid should be used for a couple of weeks, during the day use 3 times.
Coffee beans take it entirely in your mouth, then dissolve them for a quarter of an hour. When conducting an experiment in Israel, it was found that drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee has the same effect. The aroma from the mouth acquires a specific smell of coffee.

Preventive measures

Give up bad habits!

To prevent the occurrence of a problem with an unpleasant odor, it is imperative to use prevention. It consists in:

constant proper oral hygiene, the use of dental floss and other hygiene products 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening;
periodic visits to the dentist at least 2 times a year;
quitting smoking and other bad habits;
proper nutrition and maintaining the optimal water balance of the body;
timely treatment of the underlying cause of the appearance of halitosis;
add spices to food - cinnamon and ginger can activate the secretion of saliva.

Why does bad breath appear in the morning?

Bacteria are constantly present in the oral cavity. If during the day it is constantly washed by saliva, then they do not have time to multiply enough. At night, they accumulate, especially if pieces of food remain in the mouth in the evening. They begin to gradually rot, which leads to the appearance of a smell in the morning.

Why does it smell like rot after a tooth extraction?

Inflammation after tooth extraction

Tooth extraction is a traumatic process, so infection or inflammation can often begin. An unpleasant odor signals a problem a couple of days after the operation.

You should immediately consult a dentist to determine the cause of the aroma in order to prevent the development of complications, since serious dental diseases can develop due to infections.

If an unpleasant odor appears, it is best to immediately consult a doctor, and not self-medicate, since internal diseases can be the cause of the development of halitosis.

The use of rinses, refreshing lozenges, and sprays can help kill bacteria, but will not cure the disease itself.

Julia Klouda, head of Startsmile.ru, an expert dentistry magazine, is ready to rip the covers off ten non-obvious causes of a killer breath odor.

All diseases from nerves

Halitosis (as doctors call miasma from the mouth) never occurs on its own. But before we jump into the intimidation by listing all those diseases that cause halitosis, let's look at the cause, which is almost always forgotten. And this reason is the most ordinary, banal stress. Especially protracted. When the boss at work constantly yells good and not only obscenities, personal life does not stick, and to top it off, the last train leaves under your nose, then they come into play: cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine. These three gangsters are stress hormones that provoke the accelerated growth of all kinds of pathogenic microflora in the mouth. Under the influence of this trinity, she diligently emits volatile and extremely smelly substances that your interlocutors are forced to smell.

The language barrier

President of the International Dental Association (IDA), Oral-B and Blend-a-Med expert

Popular

The state of the tongue plays a colossal role - the freshness of the breath of each of us depends on its hygiene. The surface of the tongue is able to accumulate plaque during the day and at night, and it definitely needs to be removed. Indeed, in addition to the unpleasant odor that can be caused by plaque on the tongue, it can cause the development of caries. Thus, microbes that inhabit the surface of the tongue can move to the walls of the teeth, creating favorable conditions for the development of caries and its complications. Admit it, it’s rather disappointing to know that, despite a thorough cleaning of your teeth, you still risk becoming a patient of a dentist due to ignoring tongue cleaning?

Consequently, the tongue of both an adult and a child needs daily cleaning no less than teeth. Ideally, the back of the tongue should be cleaned as often as the teeth, that is, 2 times a day (morning and evening). It should be noted that morning cleaning of the tongue should be mandatory. Today, there are all kinds of devices for getting rid of plaque - for example, scrapers and brushes. But the most modern way of high-quality and, importantly, pleasant cleaning of the tongue can boast of the Oral-B electric toothbrush with the tongue cleaning function. Thanks to this option, the bristles gently loosen and sweep away plaque from the surface of the tongue, providing light massage movements. So you don't need to buy additional oral care products that will fill the shelves in the bathroom - all you need to do is change the mode on the panel of your electric toothbrush!

sugar in the mouth

Another reason for heavy smelly mouth is lack of water. Oh, it’s not in vain that doctors advise drinking at least two liters of water a day! If you drink little (water, not cheerful and invigorating drinks with a high degree), then the body secretes too little saliva. The lack of moisture causes the death of the cells of the tongue, which actively and joyfully feed on all the same pathogenic bacteria.

Snoring and stuffy nose

A sudden but permanent stuffy nose and snoring are also causes of bad breath. Unfair, but true. When the mouth is constantly or very long open, it leads to dryness. And dryness, as we have already found out, is the dream of all pathogenic bacteria, young and old. When saliva is scarce due to dryness, they begin to multiply their ranks and secrete sulfur compounds that provoke bad breath. Therefore, be vigilant: treat a runny nose and allergies in time.

Diets are evil!

Skip breakfast for a waistline? Skip lunch to lower the number on the scale? Practicing a protein or, even worse, a mono-diet?! Get thermonuclear halitosis as a reward for your efforts! The thing is that our body perceives any hunger strike as a distress signal and immediately begins to take action: burn all fat reserves. Not only is it harmful, it also provokes the formation of ketones, which, in turn, lead to bad breath.

The stomach is always there ...

Sour breath is a sure sign that you have stomach problems. If the smell is also accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, or belching, it is likely that gastritis or a stomach ulcer is somewhere nearby. Sour breath accompanies diseases associated with low acidity, and what smells like running dysbacteriosis is better not to mention in a decent society.

Nose and throat always together

For example, plugs in the tonsils. They accumulate a strategic supply of leftover food for bacteria. In addition, many diseases of the nasopharyngeal mucosa are accompanied by the formation of pus, and this also does not improve the flavor from the mouth, but quite the contrary. To the surprise of many ENT patients, as soon as they undergo a successful course of treatment, their breath freshens before their eyes.

Kidneys, lungs and diabetes

Pulmonary diseases also often come not alone, but along with halitosis. But not only the lungs signal us with the help of amber: the bitter smell from the mouth hints at kidney problems, and the persistent aroma of acetone indicates the threat of diabetes. The last enemy is the most dangerous, and, of course, not only because of the smell. Nevertheless, an unpleasant smell can literally help in treatment if you pay attention to an alarming symptom in time.

Smelly dentures

Of course, everyone knows (or at least vaguely guesses) that poor hygiene and oral diseases provoke powerful amber. But even after you have cured everything, you must not lose vigilance! Dentures, especially bridges, require careful daily care: arm yourself with irrigators, brushes, dental floss and fight plaque mercilessly. Otherwise, not only a nasty smell will penetrate into your life, but also new gum diseases, again caused by insufficient hygiene.

Earrings in unexpected places

Piercing - oh, so much in this sound! .. But having a tongue piercing is not only fashionable, stylish and shocking. It is also harmful. Wounds in the oral cavity cause fungal infections, which immediately begin to actively multiply. A fungal infection produces a white, yellowish or creamy coating on the tongue, burning, increased sensitivity to spicy and sour, and, of course, halitosis. So before you pierce your tongue, think about whether the game is worth the candle.

Odor from the mouth is a common phenomenon among the adult population, which can bring a lot of trouble to a person. It often becomes a serious barrier to communication, affects the state of a person, causing depression of mood. The symptom is easy to overcome if you know the cause of the occurrence.

In medicine, bad breath is called halitosis. It is considered the norm from a physiological point of view, if it manifests itself in the morning after waking up. Eliminated by brushing teeth and rinsing the mouth. Other causes of stench from the oral cavity are known:

Food with a strong odor.
Poor oral hygiene.
Dental diseases.
Pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.
Nasopharyngeal infection.
Bad habits - smoking and drinking alcohol-containing products.
Taking medications.
Diseases of the thyroid gland.

In women during menstruation, bad breath is often observed. This is due to hormonal changes.

Bad breath is caused by bacteria that are present in the human mouth. When the number of bacteria exceeds the allowable values, the stench becomes unbearable. Some are able to cause a putrid smell, others - a heavy aroma of rotten meat.

Improper oral hygiene

Most often, bad breath occurs in people who brush their teeth incorrectly or pay insufficient attention to oral hygiene. If a person forgets to brush their teeth or does not use dental floss after eating, bad breath will begin to haunt throughout the day.

It is important not only to clean your teeth from plaque, but also to carefully remove them, rinse your mouth well after brushing.

Plaque on the root of the tongue

Human language is an indicator of health. In a person who is not affected by inflammatory processes, infections, the tongue is pink, the papillae of the organ are not enlarged. A yellow or white coating with an unpleasant stench indicates that bacteria live and actively multiply.

The color of the tongue can change with a disease of the internal organs, with the use of alcoholic beverages or smoking. Plaque often forms in people who take poor care of their oral cavity.

Dry mouth

A common cause of halitosis is dry mouth. Microbes and dead cells are not washed away by saliva. Cells begin to decompose, causing halitosis. Dry mouth is a frequent companion of people whose water-salt balance is disturbed. Occurs after the use of drugs or a large amount of alcohol.

With prolonged use of a number of drugs, dryness in the cavity and a sharp unpleasant odor occur.

If dryness becomes chronic, we are talking about a disease called xerostomia.

Dental diseases

Pathological processes occurring in the oral cavity are always accompanied by an unpleasant odor. Among the common diseases are:

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease in which the integrity of the bone ligaments that hold the tooth is broken. A purulent focus appears in the upper part of the root.
Pulpitis is an inflammatory process in the internal tissue of the tooth. The disease is accompanied by a putrid stench.
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums. In a severe form, the gums bleed, a terrible smell comes from the mouth.
Periodontitis is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the tooth.
Caries is a sluggish pathological process of destruction of hard tooth tissues.

With such processes, microbes and bacteria multiply perfectly in a favorable environment for them. To eliminate a strange smell, you need to visit a dental office and undergo treatment. It may be necessary to remove diseased teeth or roots. If the teeth are in order, the cause of halitosis is in diseases of the internal organs.

Diseases of the internal organs

A bad odor is present with healthy teeth - the cause of this phenomenon is seen as a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. If the dentist has not identified problems with the gums, teeth, and there is an incomprehensible smell, you need to contact a gastroenterologist.

With the smell of feces, the patient is often diagnosed with dysbacteriosis. A similar symptom is present with intestinal obstruction.

Symptoms indicate poisoning: the smell of a rotten egg, fever, weakness, nausea.

With a stomach ulcer, a bitter or sour taste and stench appear. With gastritis, there is swelling, nausea and vomiting, the smell of hydrogen sulfide or rotten eggs.

Ammonia aroma means that the patient has kidney disease.

If the patient has a problem with the thyroid gland, the smell of iodine appears due to the oversaturation of the body with the substance. The aroma of acetone is provoked by an infectious disease.

Stress

Nervousness, stress, depression often become the causes of such a nuisance. When emotional balance is restored, the pathological process stops.

To prevent a symptom, you need to carefully monitor your health. Avoid stressful situations.

Nutrition and bad habits

Often times food is the culprit. Some foods have a strong flavor on their own, and when they are eaten, the flavor comes from the mouth naturally.

A specific smell comes from a smoking person. The reason is that the substances contained in the cigarette are deposited on the teeth, mucous membranes. It is possible to get rid of amber forever. You need to quit the bad habit.

Causes of halitosis in a child

Signs of halitosis can be observed in children. A child without dental diseases has fresher breath. If an adult notices an unpleasant smell in the baby, but hygiene rules are observed, you need to show the child to the pediatrician. Perhaps the smell appeared due to a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract. The doctor will prescribe a diagnosis and treatment. The breach will go away quickly.

In addition to dental and gastric pathologies, bad breath from the baby's mouth is often caused by:

Diseases of the nasopharynx, throat;
Eating fatty foods;
Emotional overstrain and childhood stress;
Moisture deficiency.

Diagnostics

It is not always possible to independently determine the freshness of one's own breath. In a medical institution, the doctor conducts diagnostics using a special device - a halimeter. If the device confirms the presence of deviations, a laboratory study of plaque and the oral cavity will be required. Diagnostics helps to find out why the stench appeared.

If an unpleasant odor is associated with diseases of the digestive system, diagnostic measures are prescribed:

Urinalysis;
Endoscopy;
Ultrasound diagnostics.

Some procedures cause discomfort to the patient, but thanks to the intervention, it is possible to find out why the person is haunted by the phenomenon.

How to get rid of bad breath

To avoid unpleasant odor and the problems provoked by it, it is necessary to pay special attention not only to oral hygiene, but also to the body as a whole. Regular visits to the dentist, gastroenterologist, careful care of the gums, teeth, tongue will contribute to fresh breath.

To keep your breath fresh, you need to clean your mouth well from food debris, use high-quality toothpaste and a suitable brush.

Toothpaste should be from a trusted manufacturer, remove plaque well, freshen breath. A toothbrush is selected with medium hardness for adults and soft for children. You can purchase an ultrasonic brush equipped with a timer. Such devices clean out food residues well, and the timer indicates the recommended duration of the procedure.

To clean your teeth throughout the day, experts recommend using dental floss after each snack.

Mint chewing gum or mint candy without sugar in the composition will help to kill the unpleasant aroma.

Treatment for dental problems

Any diseases of the gums and teeth can be accompanied by an unpleasant odor. In this case, a visit to the dentist is required. For prevention, a visit to the dentist is provided once every six months. Getting rid of bad odors is easy. It is enough to cure an unhealthy tooth or undergo regular cleaning of restoration structures with a special device in the doctor's office, and the smell will disappear.

Treatment of odor in infections of the larynx and nasopharynx

Diseases of the nasopharynx, larynx are often accompanied by a fetid odor, which is impossible to get rid of without eliminating the pathological process itself.

For treatment, it is often necessary to gargle with a solution of furacilin or other disinfecting solutions. Tonsils need to be treated with streptocide. Tablets of the drug are dissolved in water, then the throat is rinsed.

If a terrible smell is associated with sinusitis, it is necessary to use antibacterial agents, for example, Azithromycin. Drops with vasoconstrictive properties. It is important to wash the nasopharynx, clean it from accumulations of pus.

In men or women, bad breath from the mouth always causes a lot of communication difficulties. Treatment measures should not be aimed only at getting rid of the symptom, eliminating the cause is an important step on the path to recovery.

Treatment with folk remedies

In folk medicine, many universal methods are described, resorting to which, it will be possible to freshen your breath at home, without medicines. You can use the funds for halitosis caused by any pathologies or processes. The very cause of the stench cannot be permanently removed, but the breath will be made fresh without risk to health.

Hydrogen peroxide

A popular home remedy for bad breath. Effective as peroxide has antibacterial properties. Well eliminates microorganisms. People who have used the rinse solution have noticed that the product whitens teeth well.

In its pure form, the use of peroxide is contraindicated. Rinse your mouth with a solution. Dissolve three teaspoons of peroxide in half a glass of warm water. Rinse at least three times a day.

If during the procedure a slight burning sensation is felt and the formation of white foam is observed, it means that there are wounds in the mouth that are disinfected when rinsing.

Hydrogen peroxide must not be swallowed. A solution of strong concentration can burn the mucous membrane of the mouth and esophagus. A solution is purchased at a pharmacy.

Activated carbon

Activated charcoal is a well-known absorbent that absorbs toxic substances and removes them from the human body. The drug is safe, used for various diseases, including pathologies that cause a strong fetid odor from the mouth. The medicine helps to eliminate odor and improves the general well-being of a person.

The drug is taken in courses. On average, the course is one to two weeks.

Vegetable oil

Vegetable oil helps fight bad breath. The product must be of high quality. To eliminate the repulsive odor, you will need to rinse your mouth with oil for 3 minutes. Then spit it out and rinse the cavity with boiled water. Carry out the procedure at least twice a day.

It is possible to add salt to the oil and also rinse your mouth.

Herbs

Folk recipes for the treatment of bad breath include courses of rinsing with herbal infusions and decoctions.

Mix wormwood leaves, chamomile and strawberries in equal proportions and pour boiling water over. Insist herbs for at least half an hour and strain through a sieve.
Peppermint tea is an excellent remedy to help get rid of bad breath. Tea calms well, fights insomnia.
Peppermint decoction can be used in place of mouthwash.
A decoction of oak bark will quickly eliminate an unpleasant odor. Pour a tablespoon of chopped bark with a glass of boiling water and insist. Strain, cool and start rinsing.
Calamus will help to overcome the specific aroma. The grass is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for an hour. Then it is filtered. Rinse with infusion should be at least twice a day.
You can remove the symptom with the help of infusion of oxal leaves. Fresh leaves are poured with water, put on a heated stove and boiled for a quarter of an hour. The broth is insisted and filtered. Take two sips before meals four times a day.
It will be possible to destroy the bacteria by taking a decoction of magnolia bark. The tool is able to kill 90% of pathogenic microflora. Pour a tablespoon of bark with 200 ml of boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes. Rinse your mouth three times a day.

Other folk ways

You can eliminate the unpleasant smell with folk remedies after eating, if there is a meeting or negotiations ahead. Recipes:

Grind ginger root into powder. After eating, take half a teaspoon of the powder orally.
Helps with the smell of aniseed. Chew the seeds before breakfast.
It is useful to eat a couple of apples before meals in the morning. The fruit saves from an unpleasant smell and normalizes the work of the stomach.
Parsley will help against the smell of onions and garlic. Chew on a sprig of grass and the smell will disappear.
Roasted sunflower seeds effectively mask the smell.
The best remedy for bad breath is apple cider vinegar. Dissolve a teaspoon of a natural remedy in a glass of water and rinse your mouth for several minutes.
You can get rid of the unpleasant smell by chewing the fruits of the juniper tree.
With periodontal disease, propolis will help to cope with halitosis. Propolis tincture well relieves bad odor.
To eliminate the symptom, try making a remedy from chamomile and honey. You need to finely crush the flowers and mix a teaspoon of grass with two tablespoons of honey. Take a teaspoon before meals.
You can get rid of the strong onion flavor by chewing coffee beans or pine needles.
succeeds with the help of Corvalol. The option is doubtful, but alcohol will disguise.
Nutmeg will give a fresh pleasant aroma to the breath.

Effective home remedies can help fight halitosis, clean your mouth, eliminate bacteria, and reduce or eliminate bad breath. But they are not able to save a person from the cause of the symptom. If the smell is constantly haunting, the struggle brings temporary freshness, you need to see a doctor.

Prevention

Preventing halitosis is easy. Go to the dentist regularly, carefully monitor the oral cavity, follow the recommendations of the doctor. In addition to brushing your teeth, you need to clean your tongue, as a mass of bacteria settles on the organ. The tongue is cleaned with a regular brush or a special rubber one.

It is important to monitor nutrition, exclude harmful foods, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Doctors recommend adjusting your diet and lifestyle. So that a bad aroma does not pursue a person, you will need to give up bad habits.

The main thing is to monitor your health, treat diseases of the digestive system in time and undergo preventive examinations.

Alternative medicine and the uncontrolled use of herbs to relieve symptoms can be ineffective and dangerous to health.

If all the measures taken do not work, nothing helps, and the stench appears immediately after brushing your teeth, an unpleasant smell becomes a common occurrence - you need to visit a doctor. The dentist will look at the oral cavity and find out whether an unpleasant symptom has appeared from the teeth or not, and will tell you what to do to avoid trouble. If the pathology is not of a dental nature, you will have to contact a gastroenterologist. The doctor will diagnose, diagnose and prescribe treatment.