Rotten breath can come in many different forms. It may resemble rotten eggs or rotten meat. But in any case, it brings a lot of inconvenience. That is why it is important to quickly understand what led to the appearance of bad breath and eliminate this problem.

Causes of rotten breath

If a person has a rotten smell when he talks or simply breathes through his mouth, this may mean that air containing hydrogen sulfide is coming out of the digestive tract. It is formed during the breakdown of foods with a large amount of proteins.

Most scientists believe that 90% of bad breath is a dental problem.

This smell also appears when the patient produces too little gastric juice. Then the food lingers in the esophagus for a long time and the process of putrefaction begins. Often the banal reason for such an unpleasant aroma is constant overeating. The food eaten does not have time to be digested and decomposes directly in the stomach.

It is not recommended to ignore this problem, especially if you encounter it every day. The fact is that it can cause many diseases:

  • Atrophic gastritis.
  • Pyloric stenosis (when the outlet of the stomach narrows).
  • Gastric atony due to decreased motor activity (lazy stomach syndrome).
  • These problems may indicate a number of other diseases, some of which can be quite serious (stomach ulcers, benign or malignant tumors). Common causes of rotten breath are also:

  • Liver diseases (chronic hepatitis of various etiologies, liver cirrhosis).
  • Diverticula of the esophageal wall.
  • Problems with the gallbladder (chronic cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia, cholangitis).
  • That is why it is so important to visit a gastroenterologist in time at the first appearance of a rotten smell. If there is a rotten meat smell, it usually indicates liver problems.

    Risk factors for bad breath

    As a rule, rotten breath appears in people who are forced to breathe for a long time through the mouth rather than through the nose (for example, with sinusitis). As a result, the oral cavity dries out, which causes an unpleasant odor.

    If you don’t maintain good oral hygiene and often overeat, it can also lead to bad breath. As a result, microorganisms accumulate in the mouth, producing gases that smell bad, and food that remains in the stomach and begins to rot only enhances the effect.

    People who are constantly on diets, as well as those who suffer from anorexia, often have rotten breath because they do not eat properly.

    Symptoms of rotten breath

    If you or a loved one has a rotten meat smell on your breath, it usually indicates liver problems. Very often other symptoms also occur:

  • The patient’s urine begins to darken.
  • The sclera turns yellowish.
  • On the contrary, feces become colorless.
  • When eggs smell rotten, patients often experience pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, or, conversely, constipation.

    Rotten egg smell from breath

    This unpleasant problem appears when air filled with hydrogen sulfide begins to rise from the stomach. In this case, belching with a clear unpleasant “aroma” may also occur. As a rule, a similar smell appears if a person constantly eats fried or boiled eggs.

    Of course, if such a smell is felt not from time to time, but constantly, then this may indicate quite serious health problems. Typically, the smell of rotten eggs may appear if the patient has food stagnation in the stomach (for various reasons). That is, the stomach simply cannot digest food, which after a while begins to ferment.

    For example, the smell of rotten eggs from the mouth appears in chronic atrophic gastritis with low acidity, when food is digested for too long, which leads to the appearance of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which comes out of the stomach. Usually the smell intensifies during periods of exacerbation of the disease. In this case, other symptoms appear such as:

  • Bloating.
  • Vomiting or nausea.
  • Stomach ache.
  • The cause of the smell of rotten eggs may be an insufficient amount of enzymes (which take part in digestion) and hydrochloric acid.

    To combat a problem, it is necessary, first of all, to treat the disease that caused it. If you notice the first signs of gastritis or another similar disease, you should immediately contact a specialist.

    Rotten breath in a child

    A rotten smell can appear not only in adults, but also in children. This is usually the cause of improper oral hygiene, but there are also a number of quite serious diseases in which this symptom appears.

    The causes of rotten breath in a child can be divided into several types:

  • Extraoral.
  • Oral.
  • Psychogenic.
  • Extraoral causes of unpleasant odor:

  • Diseases associated with the duodenum, esophagus or stomach.
  • Mucus with a large number of bacteria, which is found in the sinuses.
  • Decomposition of food debris that gets stuck in the recesses of the tonsils.
  • Liver failure.
  • Oral causes of rotten odor:

  • Poor oral hygiene, which leads to the accumulation of food debris between the teeth.
  • Frequent runny nose, which causes dry mouth.
  • Fungal diseases of the mouth.
  • Problems with gums: periodontitis, periodontal disease, gingivitis.
  • Sometimes parents, after reading some medical articles, begin to think that their child has bad breath. This is the main psychogenic cause.

    To prevent your child from developing an unpleasant odor, it is necessary to teach him to properly brush his tongue and teeth every day. If your mouth gets dry too often, you can drink more water. Try to take your child to the dentist more often.

    Rotten meat smell from mouth

    Most often, the smell of rotten meat appears from the mouth if a person has liver problems. Here it is also worth paying attention to other symptoms and first signs of disease. Acute liver damage, which often causes an unpleasant odor, usually occurs after a viral infection, due to frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages or certain medications.

    If you notice that you have a rotten smell of meat in your mouth, you should immediately contact a gastroenterologist.

    Diagnosis of rotten breath

    During diagnosis, a specialist must analyze the patient’s complaints and prescribe several important examinations for the patient that will help find out the cause of the rotten smell. Among the most popular examinations are:

  • Blood tests.
  • Ultrasound of the liver and pancreas.
  • Fibrogastroduodenoscopy.
  • After all the necessary studies have been carried out, the doctor prescribes the optimal treatment.

    Tests for rotten breath

    Doctors usually recommend conducting a general and biochemical blood test, which will help determine the presence of certain diseases. A general stool analysis (coprogram) is also performed. It will help you see if there are undigested food fragments in your stool. Among the analyzes we can also highlight:

  • Biochemical blood test with liver tests.
  • Analysis remains.
  • Analysis of gastric contents.
  • Instrumental diagnostics

    The most popular methods of instrumental diagnosis of rotten breath are:

  • Irrigoscopy.
  • EGDS (gastroscopy) – the walls of the esophagus, duodenum and stomach are viewed. During the procedure, a special device (gastroscope) is inserted into the stomach.
  • Ultrasound – helps to see if there are tumors in the abdominal area.
  • Radioisotope diagnostics.
  • Radiography.
  • Treatment of rotten breath

    If the patient is diagnosed with low acidity, he will be prescribed medications that increase stomach acidity. In addition, in such cases, you will have to reconsider your daily diet, adding foods that help juice secretion: lemon, chicken broth, nuts, apples, pickles.

    If the cause of rotten breath is banal overeating, you just need to normalize your diet. If you follow a special diet for at least two months, the problem should disappear.

    If an unpleasant odor appears infrequently, you can try taking various medications (Smecta, Mezim, Pancreatin, Festal, activated carbon).

    There are also special measures that must always be observed:

  • Chew greens such as parsley and mint throughout the day.
  • Drink as much water as possible.
  • Try to rinse your mouth with water as often as possible.
  • You should always brush not only your teeth, but also your tongue.
  • It is better to start breakfast with oatmeal.
  • Follow the correct diet.
  • Add vegetables and fruits to your diet.
  • Medicines for dull breath

    Phosphalugel. An antacid whose active ingredient is aluminum phosphate. Helps neutralize hydrochloric acid and also has an adsorbing and enveloping effect. It is taken to treat gastritis, chronic gastritis, and also helps eliminate rotten breath if it appears due to this disease.

    The standard dosage is as follows: one or two sachets three times a day. If it is necessary to treat infants (up to six months), then the recommended dose is 4 g (1 teaspoon) after each feeding, but at least 6 times a day.

    Before use, the contents of the package must be crushed well (through a closed bag) so that the powder takes the form of a gel. Make an incision in a special place and carefully pour the gel through the hole. The drug can be diluted in a glass of water.

    The only side effects include possible constipation. The drug is contraindicated in case of intolerance to the components or liver dysfunction.

    Mezim Forte. An enzyme product that contains pancreatin with minimal enzyme activity (amylase, lipase and proteases). The drug is taken to facilitate the digestion of food. The dose is determined individually. It depends on how disturbed the digestion is. One or two tablets before meals are usually recommended.

    The main side effects from taking the drug: constipation, nausea, allergies. The drug is contraindicated in pancreatitis, especially chronic.

    Periodonticide. A drug with analgesic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Available in the form of a mouthwash solution for gum inflammation (which can cause bad breath). Rinse your mouth twice a day (morning and evening). To do this, add 15 drops of solution to a third of a glass of water. Can’t swallow.

    The main side effects of the drug include: contact eczema, allergies. The drug is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

    Asepta. A modern remedy that is used to treat gum inflammation. Available in the form of napkins that have the shape of a fingertip. To use, you need to open one sachet, put a napkin on your finger, remove the special protective film from it, and thoroughly wipe your tongue, gums, teeth, and cheeks (inside). Finger guards are disposable. The active ingredients are plant extracts.

    It is recommended to brush your teeth with fingertips at least twice a day. Contraindicated in case of intolerance to the components.

    Traditional and herbal treatment for rotten breath

    Please note that traditional medicine only helps to reduce or mask bad breath, but does not cure the underlying problem.

  • You can chew aromatic spices (parsley, cloves, fennel seeds, bay leaves, juniper berries).
  • You can clean your teeth and reduce odor by eating an apple. It will also help improve intestinal motility.
  • Using weak decoctions of medicinal plants: sage, chamomile, lemon balm, strawberry leaves, thyme.
  • Homeopathy

    In our country, homeopathic remedies have become popular only recently, and therefore cause mixed feelings among patients. But with bad breath, such drugs can help.

    If a rotten smell appears due to a disease of the pharynx, you can use Aconite, Belladonna, Argentum nitricum, Bryonia, Mercurius solubilis, Capsicum.

    For tonsillitis, you can get rid of the rotten smell with the help of: Baryta carbonica, Kali mureaticum, Hepara sulfur, Phytolacca.

    Prevention of rotten breath

    To ensure that you never encounter the problem of bad breath, you need to carefully monitor your oral hygiene. Brush your teeth and tongue every morning and evening. You also need to review your daily diet and add fresh vegetables and fruits to the menu. Try not to drink water while eating, chew food thoroughly and slowly, and do not overeat. Don’t sit at the table if you don’t have an appetite.

    Prognosis of rotten breath

    With timely diagnosis and proper treatment of rotten breath, the prognosis is favorable.

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