Your Health -  A to Z of Common Medical Conditions

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Description - Everybody has bad breath at times. Sometimes there is an obvious cause, often there is not. Some people have halitosis virtually all the time and, unfortunately, these tend to be the individuals least likely to know that they have a problem. Similarly many anxious people are sure they have bad breath when there is nothing wrong with them. Any one in a poor medical condition – dehydrated, under nourished, perhaps suffering from liver or kidney complaints – can have bad breath. A condition in which it is frequently found is bronchiectasis, a chronic infection of the lungs. Constipation and indigestion can cause bad breath, as can infections of the throat, gums and sinuses. Halitosis in an unwell feverish child is often an indication of an acute tonsillitis. A particularly pungent halitosis results from a serious gum infection, ulcerating gingivitis, which used to be known as “Vincent’s angina” (nothing to do with the heart!) Simple causes of bad breath include eating very strong foods such as garlic, all forms of smoking, and mouth breathing where a chronically blocked nose can cause a constantly dry mouth with bad breath. A common cause for halitosis, in individuals who don’t usually have it, is slimming, going  on a diet, in which products in the circulation resulting from excess fat break down are released in the breath. Also people on diets tend to become a little dehydrated from insufficient fluid intake.

Management - The cause, if possible, should be found and treated. How the chronic sufferer will know that he has bad breath (“will his best friend tell him?”) may be dependent on a loving spouse, or even his physician. Usually the condition is transient but can be a big problem to those with chronic halitosis who can find it very socially disabling. Various mouth washes, sprays etc are available that essentially depend upon masking.  Avoidance of halitosis depends upon drinking adequate fluids, attention to oral and dental hygiene, not smoking and not breathing over people after a particularly exotic meal.

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