Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Persistent acid reflux happens when stomach acid pushes up into the esophagus. This misplaced stomach acid may itself cause bad breath — or, because stomach acid erodes tooth enamel, it can lead to the crevices that trap food.
Your digestive tract may be the cause of your foul breath if you frequently get heartburn or reflux after eating particular meals, such as dairy and spicy cuisine. These acids may smell sour, which causes gaseous odors to impact your breath.
Halitosis — or bad breath — may be due to poor oral hygiene, but this isn't always the case. It can also occur due to a number of health conditions, including dry mouth, heartburn or even disease in another part of your body. Treatment for halitosis depends on the underlying cause.
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 drain their stomach.
Empty stomach
Skipping meals can cause foul breath because it reduces the production of saliva that flushes away bacteria from your teeth, tongue and gums.
GERD is a common culprit of bad breath for a few reasons. First, other people may actually be able to smell the regurgitated stomach acid on your breath. Additionally, people who suffer from GERD are not always able to completely digest all of their food and this decaying food can cause unwanted smells on your breath.
When you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, undigested food in the stomach and gastric acid will back up into the esophagus, nasopharynx and mouth, causing bad breath. Therefore, bad breath is a common symptom in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Mouthwashes contain high levels of acidity so can cause an irritation in anyone who suffers from heartburn or acid reflux. If you suffer from either of these then choose a mouthwash which has a neutral balance rather than an acidic type.
Need to check how your breath smells quickly? Try the sniff test—there are a couple of ways to do it. If you lick your wrist, let it dry for a moment, then take a whiff, you should be able to get an idea if your breath has an odor too. Another method is to floss toward the back of your mouth, then smell the floss.
A course of an antibiotic, effective against anaerobic bacteria (such as metronidazole, to reduce the overgrowth of sulphur-producing bacteria), may also help. Speak to your dentist, doctor or chemist to identify the cause of your halitosis and to find the most effective treatment for you.
The genera Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Weissella are among the most useful probiotics for the prevention or treatment of halitosis in the oral cavity.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Persistent acid reflux happens when stomach acid pushes up into the esophagus. This misplaced stomach acid may itself cause bad breath — or, because stomach acid erodes tooth enamel, it can lead to the crevices that trap food.
Persistent bad breath is typically associated with chronic halitosis, a dental term that describes poor oral hygiene which causes bacteria build-up and gum disease. However, your bad breath could also indicate poor gut health and even a gastrointestinal disorder or condition.
Since the odor lies in the lungs, the quick fixes for treating bad breath—brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash—are only temporary solutions. To save your breath, try to limit your intake of garlic, onions, some varieties of fish, and meaty meals.
At certain times when we feel anxious, our mouth becomes dry. This is due to the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Together, these hormones can change the production of the bacteria VSC, making your breath smell bad.
Yogurt. The healthy bacteria in yogurt, lactobacillus, can help you to fight halitosis, by combatting the bad bacteria in your digestive system. One study showed that after eating yogurt for six weeks, 80% of study participants had a reduction in bad breath. One serving of plain, non-fat yogurt today can do wonders.
One way is to lick your wrist, let it dry for a second, and sniff it - you would know if your breath stinks. Another way is to take a floss or tongue scraper and gently move it towards the back of your mouth or tongue and then smell it. This should also give you a fair assessment whether your breath smells bad.
Eating foods with strong odors like fish, spicy food, garlic, onions and coffee can cause bad breath. Strong foods break down in your system and the chemical compounds that result from eating them can cause imbalances in your stomach and mouth, resulting in bad breath.