The problem of bad breath (halitosis) sooner or later confronts almost every adult person. People experiencing such problems begin to feel some discomfort when communicating, which, in turn, leads to isolation, reduced self-esteem, loss of self-confidence and, as a result, loneliness.
All this can provoke the occurrence of neuropsychiatric diseases, developing because of a lack of communication.
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Causes of bad breath in an adult. Types of halitosis
Sometimes the person himself does not notice or does not want to notice the unpleasant smell emanating from the oral cavity. However, this can be a pretty symptom. serious diseasestherefore, we should not ignore the problem and contact the clinic as soon as possible to find out the reason and make a correct diagnosis.
Types of halitosis
There are two types of halitosis:
- Physiological. The appearance of bad breath is caused by dietary errors or non-observance of oral hygiene. This type of halitosis can occur with smoking, fasting, excessive use of alcohol and drugs.
- Pathological. Called by dental diseases (oral halitosis) or abnormalities of the internal organs (extraoral).
In addition, in the scientific world there are such concepts as pseudo-halitosis and halitophobia. Both of these conditions are psychological.
Pseudo-halitosis It is one of the obsessive states in which the patient constantly feels that he smells foul of his mouth. In such cases, the help of a psychotherapist is required.
Too suspicious people often suffer. halitophobia - the constant fear of the appearance of a bad smell after an illness.
So, before you take any measures to eliminate bad breath, you should find out the reason him occurrence. Perhaps the case is in the wrong and unbalanced diet, or is it all explained by the poor state of the environment? And if halitosis is caused by pathological changes in the internal organs or is it contagious?
Physiological type
There are many causes of bad breath, the main ones being the following.
General condition of the oral cavity. In an adult, however, as in a child, the smell may appear due to inadequate care for the oral cavity. In this case, you should check your teeth and gums.
Dry mouth. In medical circles, this phenomenon is called xerostomia. It arises, as a rule, as a result of long conversations. Often, xerostomia affects people whose profession is associated with constant communication (eg, television presenters, broadcasters, etc.).
Wrong diet. Specialists have identified a number of products, the use of which can provoke halitosis. This is mainly fatty food, which has a negative effect on the walls of the stomach and esophagus.
Bad habits. Bad breath can be caused by habits such as smoking and alcohol. But if with the second option everything is more or less clear (the one who faced the problem of hangover syndrome is well aware of what is at stake), then the situation with smoking is somewhat different.This is explained by the fact that a smoker consumes cigarettes almost daily, and tobacco smoke has a negative effect on the oral mucosa. The result of this impact is drying the mouth and creating favorable conditions for the emergence and development of various kinds of harmful microorganisms, to get rid of which in the future will be very problematic.
Poor oral hygiene. Bad breath can occur as a result of a plaque on the tongue, gums, the inside of the cheeks and even the teeth. The emergence of such a plaque is usually due to non-compliance with the rules of oral hygiene, as a result of which there is an active development of bacteria that feed on the remnants of food preserved in the mouth.
Microbes. In some cases, bad breath appears in the morning, seemingly for no apparent reason. In fact, it is all about microbes that actively grow and multiply almost constantly, especially at night. During sleep, the amount of saliva in a person’s mouth decreases, which creates favorable conditions for the growth and development of harmful bacteria. You can get rid of bad breath in a simple way: just brush your teeth and use an oral rinse to maintain the effect.
Pathological type
This form of halitosis is characterized by the appearance of the following smells from the oral cavity:
- acetone;
- ammonia;
- kala;
- putrefactive;
- sour;
- rotten eggs.
Smell of rot from mouth. The most common cause of this smell is pathological changes in the organs of the respiratory system and diseases of a dental nature. In addition, it may appear due to the accumulation of food debris under the prosthesis or in the aching tooth. Under the action of harmful microorganisms, the decomposition of amino acids occurs, which is the reason for the nature of this form of halitosis.
The main causes of putrid odor from the mouth can be the following:
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Diseases of the mouth: periodontitis, stomatitis, dysbacteriosis, periodontal disease or diseases of the salivary glands, caries. - Respiratory diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, antritis, tuberculosis, allergic rhinitis, sore throat, bronchiectasis, lung abscess or sinusitis.
In addition, the smell of rot can be caused by the following factors:
- violation of the organs of the digestive tract, with a particularly pronounced odor;
- alcohol abuse and smoking;
- poor oral hygiene, resulting in tartar or plaque.
Ammonia smell. The causes of its occurrence are kidney disease and renal failure, in which the level of urea in the blood is greatly exceeded. The body, not being able to fully withdraw this substance naturally, begins to look for an alternative way out, that is, through the skin and mucous membranes. This explains the appearance of ammonia odor.
The smell of feces from the mouth. There can be several reasons for its occurrence: intestinal obstruction, poor food absorption, reduced peristalsis, and dysbiosis.
People with bulimia or anorexia may also have a fecal odor in their mouth. It is also associated with a violation of the digestive process: food is poorly absorbed (or not absorbed at all), it begins to rot and ferment.
In some cases, this fragrance can be caused by infectious lesions of the respiratory system.
Smell of acid. Increased acidity of gastric juice caused by diseases such as pancreatitis, gastric or duodenal ulcer, esophageal diverticulitis, or gastritis provokes a sour smell from the mouth. The smell of acid may be accompanied by nausea or heartburn.
The smell of rotten eggs. The main reason for the appearance of this smell is also a violation of the stomach associated with a decrease in acidity and gastritis. In this case, a person may experience a feeling of discomfort in the stomach, belching appears. Another cause of the smell of rotten eggs from the mouth is food poisoning.
The smell of acetone from the mouth. The most harmless cause of the smell of acetone is ordinary indigestion, but there are several fairly serious diseases accompanied by this form of halitosis.
The smell of acetone may indicate pancreatic diseases (pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus), and also indicate the development of other pathologies, as will be discussed later.
- Disease and liver. The course of certain liver diseases is accompanied by the appearance of acetone in the urine and human blood. In case of disruption of the body, the task of which is precisely to cleanse the body of all unnecessary substances, including toxic ones, leads to accumulation of acetone and, as a result, the appearance of odor from the oral cavity.
- Diabetes. High blood sugar, characteristic of the neglected form of diabetes, coupled with the release of large amounts of acetone (ketone bodies) in human blood causes the kidneys to work in an enhanced mode and remove toxic substances from the body. The lungs also take an active part in the process, and this is precisely the reason for the appearance of the acetone odor from the patient’s mouth.
With the appearance of this symptom, the patient must be urgently hospitalized in order to conduct a thorough examination and immediate medical attention. Otherwise, diabetic coma is possible.
- Kidney disease. The smell of acetone from the mouth can appear during uric acid diathesis, as well as with such diseases as renal dystrophy, renal failure, and nephrosis. These pathologies cause a breakdown of protein metabolism and its decay products begin to accumulate in the blood.
Diagnosis of bad breath
Detection of halitosis is carried out in the following ways:
- Organoleptic method (assessment of the intensity of halitosis by a specialist). The degree of manifestation of bad breath is assessed on a five-point scale (from 0 to 5). Before the examination, it is recommended to refrain from using odorous cosmetics a day before the procedure, taking spicy food approximately 48 hours before visiting the doctor. In addition, 12 hours prior to the beginning of the assessment, it is advisable to stop the use of breath fresheners and mouth rinses, to abandon brushing, smoking, eating and drinking.
- Analysis of the history of the disease: when exactly does bad breath occur, how long has it started, are there chronic diseases of the oral cavity, gums, liver, gastrointestinal tract, paranasal sinuses and the nose itself, is there a connection with food intake, etc.
- Pharyngoscopy (examination of the larynx).
- Sulfide monitoring is the use of a special apparatus (halimeter) to measure the degree of sulfur concentration in the air exhaled by the patient.
- Examination of the nose and nasopharynx with the use of an endoscope.
- Examination of the oral cavity by a dentist (for the detection of white or yellowish plaque on the patient's tongue and teeth).
- Laryngoscopy.
- Consultation of a gastroenterologist and pulmonologist (in order to exclude diseases of the lungs and bronchi).
- Biochemical analysis of blood (examines the level of sugar, liver and kidney enzymes).
Preventing unpleasant odors
In order to avoid the appearance of bad breath and subsequent problems associated with this, you should follow a few simple rules:
- First of all, you must carefully adhere to the rules of oral hygiene and regularly visit the dentist for a routine examination.
- Nutrition should be balanced, with a rich content of vitamins and trace elements.
- In addition to daily tooth brushing, it is necessary to use special mouth rinses that contribute to the destruction of harmful microorganisms and freshen breath. Do not abuse alcoholic rinses, as they are very dry mucous.
- Timely prevention and treatment of pathologies of internal organs, as well as infectious diseases.
- Regular consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Every time you brush your teeth, you should not forget about the language and be sure to clean it from the resulting plaque.
- Refusal from the use of alcohol, cigarettes, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Use special moisturizers when dry mouth appears.
The appearance of bad smell from the oral cavity should not be ignored and try to get rid of it with the help of hygiene products. This can only temporarily silence the problem, but not destroy it at all. Sometimes even an ordinary consultation with a specialist gives a good result, and timely treatment will save you from such troubles for a long time.
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