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Halitosis, or unpleasant smell from the mouth, is a bane of life for many people. Most often it is associated with poor oral hygiene, but it can also indicate serious health problems. We present five causes of bad breath.
1. Caries and periodontal diseases
The most common cause of bad breath is neglect or poor oral hygiene. For the so-called Physiological halitosis corresponds to anaerobic bacteria that develop on the back of the tongue, as well as in the area of leaky fillings or mismatched prosthetic restorations. They produce volatile sulfur compounds, including hydrogen sulfide (smells like rotten eggs) and methyl mercaptan (smells like rotten cabbage).
The products of bacterial metabolism also include butyric acid (the smell of rancid butter) and putrescine (the smell of rotting meat). Unpleasant smell may also be a symptom of caries, accompany post-extraction complications or result from bacterial periodontitis or gingivitis. Therefore, if you have a bad breath, first check the condition of your teeth and mouth with your dentist.
2. Mycosis of the oral cavity
Oral thrush can be another cause of mouth odor. Candida fungi, most often Candida albicans, but also Candida tropicalis, Candida famata and Candida glabrata, are responsible for the origin and development of the disease. The disease is influenced by, among others, diet, some diseases (e.g. diabetes and AIDS) and living conditions. However, age and the immune system play a crucial role.
Candidiasis attacks the elderly much more often. This is mainly due to a decrease in immunity, the coexistence of many diseases, as well as taking medications. There are two types of candidiasis: primary and secondary. In primary candidiasis, lesions occur only within the oral cavity. However, in secondary candidiasis, they also cover the skin and mucous membranes. Treatment is most often pharmacological. Drugs are administered topically or systemically.
3. Kidney disease
Mouth odor of varying intensity occurs in most people with sick kidneys. An example is chronic renal failure, i.e. organ damage that lasts more than 3 months. Initially, the glomeruli overgrow, and then harden and become hardened in the interstitial tissue, resulting in impaired renal function. As the disease progresses, they accumulate in the blood, the so-called uremic toxins, mainly protein metabolism products.
This is reflected in the increased levels of creatinine, urea and uric acid in the blood which poison the entire body. We can talk about five stages of the disease, in the last one – end-stage renal failure, also called uremia, the symptoms concern most organs. The first to appear are gastrointestinal disorders: nausea, vomiting, persistent hiccups, diarrhea or constipation. Inflammatory changes develop in the digestive tract, resulting in chronic bleeding or haemorrhage. Urea, which is broken down by bacteria in the digestive tract, produces ammonia, which causes a specific smell from the mouth, referred to as ammonia or stale fish smell.
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4. Diabetes
The characteristic mouth odor resembling sour apples is a symptom of ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication of diabetes. Ketoacidosis occurs when the peptide hormone insulin is deficient or absent, which allows the body’s cells to take up blood sugar (glucose) for energy. In the case of insulin deficiency or lack of insulin, it is impossible to take up sugar, therefore cells look for alternative energy sources that are found in adipose tissue. Then, fats are broken down, i.e. lipolysis (in diabetics it is a very intensive process), which are then used to produce ketone bodies in the liver (produced by the liver), accumulating in the body. Ketone bodies include acetone, which our body tries to remove through the lungs. It is responsible for the characteristic smell from the mouth.
5. Gastroesophageal reflux disease
If you have heartburn and a bad taste in your mouth with halitosis, it may be a symptom of acid reflux. It is a syndrome caused by the regurgitation of stomach contents into the esophagus. Along with the previously swallowed food, hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes produced in the stomach return to the esophagus, causing a burning sensation. heartburn. Symptoms of reflux that require prompt investigation include dysphagia, pain upon swallowing, weight loss, or bleeding from the esophagus. In the treatment of the disease, drugs are used to reduce gastric acid secretion, neutralize its pH or increase the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter. It is also necessary to change the lifestyle (giving up stimulants: alcohol, cigarettes) and modifying the daily diet.
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