Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated: September 12, 2016, 12:43 PM
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It's not just the food particles stuck in between your teeth or the white bacterial film on your tongue that gives you a bad breath. It could also be that cup of coffee or the cigarette you smoke. But do you know a bad breath may also indicate that you might be suffering from a medical condition? Find out.
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Dental cavities--If you have dental cavities there are high chances that food gets stuck in it. If food particles are not removed properly, the food starts decaying and release putrid smells, giving you a bad breath.
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Gum disease-- Gum disease is one of the biggest causes of bad breath. The bacteria in the mouth form a film on the surface of the teeth and the gumline. When you don't clean your teeth properly, the plaque hardens and turns into tartar. The tartar leads to gum inflammation and if not treated at the right time, can damage the gums and the teeth. A persistent bad taste along with bad breath could be a sign of gum disease.
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Upper respiratory tract infections: Post nasal drip, sinusitis, sore throat, a common cold can all give you a bad breath. In an upper respiratory tract infection, the nasal and sinus secretions are loaded with bacteria and white blood cells. When these secretions drip to the back of the throat, it gives your breath a foul smell.
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GERD--Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or acid reflux is a disease in which the stomach contents (food and stomach acids) flow back from the stomach to the oesophagus. The food that is stuck in the oesophagus begins to decay, causing bad breath. Also, when some amount of digested food is regurgitated, it causes bad breath.
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Lactose intolerance--It is a condition in which the body is unable to digest lactose-the sugar present in milk. In this condition, the body lacks the enzyme lactase and hence, lactose isn't broken down, causing flatulence and bloating. The gas that is produced can pass through the mouth, giving you a bad breath.
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Dry mouth--The condition where the salivary glands do not secrete enough saliva is called a dry mouth. The saliva helps in neutralising acids and removes food particles in the mouth. And if saliva is not produced in required quantities, the food particles and acids can cause bad breath. Dry mouth is often a side effect of various medications and also certain allergies.
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Diabetes-- Glucose is required by the body for energy production. But when one suffers from diabetes, there is no insulin to break down glucose. Then the body does not get glucose for energy production and hence it starts deriving energy from by breaking down fat. When fat is broken down, it produces ketones, high levels of which gives diabetics a sweet, fruity breath.
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Kidney disease--Kidney disease is often characterised by a buildup of urea in the blood. The urea is broken down to ammonia in the saliva causing a urine like bad breath called ammonia breath that is accompanied by an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth.
