Fecal odor from the mouth

Bad breath is a symptom that indicates the presence of a health problem. It has a great impact on the quality of life, especially in the social sphere. The unpleasant odor can be so pronounced that it makes it almost impossible to communicate with people at close range. The smell can range from simply “stale breath” to foul-smelling stool from the mouth.

Causes of fecal odor from the mouth

With systematic overeating, eating food with a specific aroma (wild garlic, garlic, onions), bad breath often occurs. But if after several days the smell still remains, then perhaps this is a symptom of a disease, treatment of which should begin as quickly as possible. The most common reasons why you may experience bad breath are:

• gastrointestinal tract diseases;
• pathologies and chronic infections of the nasopharynx or upper respiratory tract;
• tuberculosis;
• dental problems (caries, gingivitis, periodontal disease, etc.);
• disturbances in the functioning of the glands that produce salivary fluid;
• when the microbiological balance in the oral cavity changes and fungal flora joins (dysbiosis, aphthous stomatitis);
• bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking).

Symptoms of fecal odor from the mouth

The smell of feces from a child’s mouth

The smell of feces from a child’s mouth mainly indicates diseases of the nasopharynx, less often severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, excretory, respiratory systems or other organs. In the chronic course of the disease, toxic substances accumulate in the bloodstream. They are not removed from the body naturally (through the biliary or urinary systems), but enter the respiratory system. They leave the body through it, giving the exhaled air a corresponding smell.

Medicines (antibiotics and hormones), spicy foods can cause severe miasms from the mouth. After stopping taking medications or eating savory foods, the smell disappears after about a day.

The most common cause of fecal odor in children is the rapid growth of putrefactive bacteria in the mouth.

Opportunistic pathogenic flora is always present in small quantities on the oral mucosa. Under certain circumstances (decreased saliva secretion, errors associated with hygienic brushing of teeth, problems with teeth, gums, tonsils, etc.), pathogenic bacteria and yeasts begin to multiply intensively. Throughout their lives, they produce volatile organic sulfur compounds that have a specific odor.

Plaque on the tongue, purulent and mucous formations on the adenoids and tonsils create a good environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Saliva helps to wash out pathogenic bacteria and destroy their membranes with miramidase and interferon. If a child has a pronounced lack of salivary fluid and has dry mouth, then this is also a provoking factor for the proliferation of pathogenic bacterial microflora.

In a child, the causes of bad breath are the following:

• caries,
• periodontitis;
• inflammatory processes in the mouth;
• tonsillitis, adenoiditis;
• decreased salivation;
• improper oral care.

If you notice an unpleasant odor in a child, it is advisable to pay attention to the condition of the teeth and gums, as well as the presence of diseases. You can examine the oral cavity yourself. For more accurate diagnosis and therapy, you should contact your dentist. To exclude diseases of the nasopharynx, it is advisable to consult an otolaryngologist or pediatrician.

If no pathologies are identified, then close attention should be paid to how well the child performs oral hygiene procedures. You may need to adjust your eating regimen and decide on a diet.

Need to remember:

Food containing large amounts of protein (meat, dairy products) contributes to an increased concentration of sulfur compounds, which causes bad breath.

Drinks with large amounts of sugar and caffeine, when entering the body, create a favorable background for the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Baking and sweet foods contribute to the formation of plaque in the mouth.

Raw vegetables and fruits, which contain large amounts of fiber and require thorough chewing, cleanse the oral cavity, increase saliva secretion and create an unfavorable level of acidity for pathogenic bacteria.

In children of the first year of life who are bottle-fed, improper dilution of infant formula can cause bad breath.

According to studies, most pathogenic cultures live in the periodontal space. It is recommended to thoroughly (morning and evening) clean the root part of the tongue, and not just the teeth and gums. After finishing a meal, you must rinse your mouth thoroughly.

A mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide (1 teaspoon of a 3% solution in half a glass of water) reduces the harmful effects of bacteria in the mouth. This procedure can be performed on children as young as three years old.

Increased growth and development of bacteria can be facilitated by insufficient salivation of the salivary glands.

You can stimulate the amount of saliva secreted as follows:

• Drink enough fluids according to age.
• Maintaining cool and moist air in the room where the child is located.
• To increase salivation, it is recommended to hold a piece of lemon in your mouth several times a day, drink acidified water or cool tea.
• To increase the salivation of saliva, chewing gum will be beneficial, of course, in reasonable quantities.

The smell of feces from the mouth due to dysbacteriosis

The smell of feces from the mouth can appear due to the following diseases: dysbacteriosis, gastrointestinal neurosis, intestinal obstruction.

Dysbacteriosis is an imbalance of intestinal microflora. Instead of lactic acid bacteria, it is populated by pathogenic bacteria in large quantities – Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as pathogenic staphylococci. They inhibit the development of beneficial microflora, cause hypo- and autotaminosis, impaired absorption of micro- and macroelements, and weaken the body’s defense reactions. For intestinal dysbiosis, lactic acid products, cereals, boiled meat and fish are indicated. Stomach neuroses are usually caused by stressful situations, nervousness, poor nutrition and untimely eating. The disorders are manifested by burning and cramping pain in the abdomen. The most effective treatment for such neurological disorders is proper sleep, avoidance of tonic drinks, and healthy and timely nutrition.

Diagnosis of fecal odor from the mouth

Often people cannot realize that they have bad breath, simply because they do not feel it due to habituation. There are a number of methods that can help determine the presence of bad breath:

• The most reliable method is to use a special device that detects chemicals that cause bad breath;
• Exhale into the palms;
• Using dental floss (after cleaning the dental spaces, smell the floss);
• The opinion of relatives and friends regarding the smell of exhaled breath;
• Plaque on the tongue.

Complaints from patients about not-so-pleasant breath must be treated with a grain of irony, especially if they are based solely on their observations. Strong arguments are the stories of patients in response to direct reproaches about their unpleasant breath from people around them.

It is necessary to clarify the systematic occurrence of the unpleasant odor (occurring occasionally or constantly present). Find out the reasons why the smell of feces occurs from the mouth – it is felt immediately after waking up and soon disappears; breath freshens after eating food; smell that appeared when you started taking medications.

It is necessary to test the smell of a mixture of gases while exhaling. If there is no smell, we can say that the patient most likely has pseudohalitosis (halitophobia). If a distinct odor is detected, the chemical composition and intensity should be assessed.

Halitox test (ALT, Inc). This test has the ability to analyze tongue coating for the presence of substances that cause fecal odor in the mouth – volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and polyamines. To carry out the test you will need: a bottle with a special medium, indicators, a sterile applicator with a cotton tip. The study is recommended to be carried out 4 hours after the last meal. The material for research is taken with an applicator from the middle third of the tongue. Place it in a hermetically sealed tube to prevent loss of VSC. After 120 seconds, color assessment of changes in the medium in the test tube begins. In the presence of VSC, the previously colorless medium acquires a cloudy yellow-brownish tint. The more toxic compounds, the darker the color.

Instrumental diagnosis of fecal odor from the mouth

Instrumental diagnostics of fecal odor from the mouth in the laboratory includes various methods and instrumental studies to assess the strength of the odor.

Before testing, it is necessary to eliminate temporary or controllable causes of bad breath (food, drugs, tobacco, etc.), but while preserving the natural biotopes of the oral cavity associated with halitosis (plaque on the tongue, teeth, etc.). d.). In the exhaled gas mixture, random changes in the concentration of volatile compounds are often encountered, and repeated tests are performed several times.

Organoleptic breath odor test. Using this method, specialists can evaluate the smell of the patient’s exhaled air. When conducting the test, the patient and laboratory technician must comply with certain requirements to obtain a reliable result.

The advantage of the organoleptic test is that it provides a comprehensive picture of the smell of the patient’s exhaled breath. According to most experts, this method is considered the main one in diagnosing halitosis. This method does not require expensive equipment or special diagnostic equipment, therefore it is widely used in practice. The disadvantages of testing are: the negative attitude of patients and the subjectivity of the result (the accuracy of assessing the strength of the odor largely depends on the specialist’s sense of smell, environmental conditions – humidity, room temperature, etc.).

Sulfide monitoring. To carry it out, you need special electrochemical gas sensor equipment that detects the presence of hydrogen sulfide. The device is connected to a recording device, which produces a graphic result – a haligram.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry gives a detailed picture of the amounts of VSC in the gas mixture upon exhalation, capturing the lowest concentrations. A significant disadvantage of this method is its high price.

An artificial “nose” is a device that consists of electrochemical sensors and includes an automated computer-controlled complex. The indicators have a fairly strong “sensitivity” to the concentration of VSC in exhaled air.

To determine the causes of halitosis, a saliva test for VSC is informative. Natural fluid from the oral cavity is required – fresh and incubated under anaerobic conditions at a temperature of 37 ° C for 3-6 hours. When conducting studies with pre-incubation of saliva, more accurate readings are obtained than when using fresh salivary fluid.

Analysis of saliva and plaque makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy and prevention to eliminate fecal odor from the mouth.

Differential diagnosis of fecal odor from the mouth

Of great importance in differential diagnosis is the distinction between halitosis (oral and extraoral). If an unpleasant odor is noted during oral exhalation, and the nasal air is clean, then they conclude that the odor is localized in the oral cavity.

If during testing the extraoral origin of the odor was confirmed, the patient is recommended to consult relevant specialists.

When establishing halitosis of an oral nature, it is necessary to clarify its nature, associated either with physiological or pathological processes. In the differential diagnosis of extraoral and oral halitosis, hardware determination of the chemical composition of exhaled air is used.

Treatment of fecal odor from the mouth

The treatment for this unpleasant symptom will depend on what caused the smell of feces from the mouth. Any identified diseases require consultation and treatment from appropriate specialists. Having eliminated the main causes and cured the disease that provokes bad breath, it is necessary to restore healthy microflora of the oral cavity.

If the source of halitosis is only the oral cavity, then it is necessary to eliminate the causes of its occurrence as soon as possible and undergo a course of professional oral cleaning.

Reducing the activity of pathogenic microflora is possible by using antiseptic substances made from chemical or natural ingredients.

Elixirs for mouth rinsing eliminate the smell of feces from the mouth for some time when combined with a toothbrush and floss.

Rinse aids have an effect thanks to active ingredients that help eliminate bacteria and neutralize their waste products. The following substances provide this property to elixirs:

• Chlorine dioxide, having an oxidizing effect, reduces the number of bacteria in the oral cavity;
• zinc – inhibits the production of sulfur compounds by bacteria, reduces their concentration;
• triclosan – helps suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the mouth.

Elixirs for oral rinsing, lozenges, tablets, sprays, and chewing gum are not effective in combating bad breath when used as the only independent remedy in the fight against halitosis. It is mandatory to use a set of measures to eliminate fecal odor from the mouth.

The drugs mentioned above have a stimulating effect on the secretion of the salivary glands. Saliva cleanses the oral cavity of pathogenic flora and its waste products, freshening breath. Mints and tablets contain surfactants that temporarily destroy the presence of sulfur compounds.

Antibacterial toothpastes. The spread of bacteria in the oral cavity that causes an unpleasant odor is prevented by toothpastes containing substances with an antibacterial effect. Particular attention should be paid to cleaning the tongue – it also contains a large number of bacteria, which are a source of halitosis.

Traditional treatment for fecal odor from the mouth

If a person is constantly haunted by the smell of feces from the mouth, using folk remedies you can make it less pronounced. If you have halitosis, you should still consult a doctor to rule out pathologies that require treatment.

Rinse with vegetable oil. In the morning on an empty stomach, rinse your mouth with unrefined vegetable oil (1 teaspoon). The duration of the procedure is 8-10 minutes. Then rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth as usual. Repeat for 2-4 weeks every day.

Rinsing with oak bark. Pour 2 tablespoons of crushed oak bark into 1 cup of boiling water, simmer over low heat for a quarter of an hour, leave for 10 minutes and strain. It is necessary to use the decoction for rinsing the mouth at least 3-5 times during the day.

To remove the odor that occurs when eating food with a specific aroma, you can chew for several minutes a walnut kernel, parsley root or coffee bean.

St. John’s wort tincture for oral administration. 1 tablespoon of St. John’s wort herb is poured? liter of vodka, infused for a week in a dark place, with the lid closed, then filtered. 40 drops of tincture are diluted with 1 glass of water. Reception is divided into morning and evening, for seven days.

Research has found that magnolia bark also effectively gets rid of pathogenic bacteria in the mouth that cause unpleasant odor.

A raw apple will give you fresh breath in any situation.

Treating bad breath with herbs

It is recommended to rinse the mouth with herbal infusions.

Hamomelis – pour three tablespoons of flowers into a cup (250 ml) of boiling water, leave for an hour, then strain and rinse your mouth.

Mint – add 0,5 tablespoon of dry mint leaves or a handful of fresh mint leaves to 1 liters of boiling water, leave for an hour, filter and rinse the mouth.

Wormwood – pour two teaspoons of wormwood into a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain and use as a mouth rinse.

Elixir of chamomile and sage. Mix equal amounts of dried chamomile flowers and sage leaves. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture, pour 1/2 cup of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain. Rinse your mouth with warm infusion after brushing your teeth and eating.

Homeopathy for bad breath

If there is a smell of feces from the mouth, the following drugs will be useful:

Nux vomica – in the presence of an unpleasant morning odor due to overeating, flatulence, constipation. Recommended 6-8 granules or drops 3-4 times a day, the last dose half an hour before bedtime.

Sulfur – helps patients suffering from flatulence, nausea, and heartburn. Take 6-8 granules or drops 2 times a day.

Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni – used in the presence of diseases of the gums, tongue, feeling of extreme thirst; bad breath. The drug is prescribed in the presence of symptoms by a homeopathic doctor.

Preventing fecal odor from the mouth

The main preventative measure to prevent bad breath is practicing good personal oral hygiene. It is necessary to clean the teeth, tongue, and inner surface of the cheeks. Interdental spaces must be cleaned with floss.

Nutrition is a significant element in preventing bad breath. The diet must include fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods.

Regular visits to specialized specialists who can notice the initial stage of the disease of internal organs are one of the significant preventive factors that prevent fecal odor from the mouth.