Definition
Breath odor is the scent of the air you breathe out of your mouth. Unpleasant, distinctive, or offensive breath odor is commonly called bad breath.
Alternative Names
Bad breath; Halitosis
Considerations
Some disorders will produce specific, characteristic odors to the breath.
A fruity odor to the breath occurs as the body attempts to get rid of excess acetone through the breathing. This is a sign of ketoacidosis, which may occur in diabetes. It is a potentially life-threatening condition.
Breath that smells like feces can occur with prolonged vomiting, especially when there is a bowel obstruction. It may also occur temporarily if a person has a tube placed through the nose or mouth to the stomach to drain the stomach contents (nasogastric tube) in place.
The breath may have an ammonia-like odor (also described as urine-like or "fishy") in people with chronic kidney failure.
Common Causes
If previously normal breath turns into halitosis, causes could include:
- Abscessed tooth
- Alcoholism
- Cavities
- Dentures
- Drugs
- Paraldehyde
- Triamterene and inhaled anesthetics
- Insulin - injection
- Food or beverages consumed (such as cabbage, garlic, raw onions, or coffee)
- Foreign body in the nose (usually in children)
- Often (but not always) there is a white, yellowish, or bloody discharge from one nostril
- Gum disease (gingivitis, gingivostomatitis)
- Impacted tooth
- Lung infection
- Poor dental hygiene
- Sinusitis
- Throat infection
- Tobacco smoking
- Vitamin supplements (especially in large doses)
- Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
- Acute necrotizing ulcerative mucositis
- Acute renal failure
- Bowel obstruction (can cause breath to smell like feces)
- Bronchiectasis
- Chronic renal failure (can cause breath to smell like ammonia)
- Diabetes (fruity or sweet chemical smell with ketoacidosis)
- Esophageal cancer
- Gastric carcinoma
- Gastrojejunocolic fistula (fruity-smelling breath)
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Lung abscess
- Ozena, or atrophic rhinitis
- Periodontal disease
- Pharyngitis
- Zenker's diverticulum
How to Deal With Bad Breath
How to Avoid Bad Breath on a Job Interview
How to Avoid Bad Breath on a First Date
Halitosis
How to Reduce Halitosis
