MUST READ: BAD BREATH AND ITS HEALTH INDICATIONS

Every one, at every point in time has a level of bad breath (Halitosis). Yeah, I know we don't want to admit that but it is true. It might be early hours of the morning or after a particular 'smelly' meal. This smell goes away after brushing, applying a mouth wash, etc.

However, there are some that  are chronic and do not ever go away no matter the amount of brushing or mouthwash. I mean, you open your mouth to speak and a whole crowd is dispersed.

Hey! this could be really embarrassing but not as bad as the many health conditions that it (bad breath/halitosis) might indicate. 

Check out some of the medical conditions ...(I read about them and thought I should share with you.)

Respiratory Tract Infections

You may catch a nasty flu bug, which develops into bronchitis or sinusitis if left untreated. These respiratory tract infections all end up causing bad breath if the sinus, lung, and throat tissues become inflamed and blocked, allowing odorous bacteria and mucus to accumulate.

Diabetes

Indeed, there’s a link between unstable blood sugar levels and chronic bad breath. Doctors often associate a notable fruity-acidic odor on the breath to a condition called, ketoacidosis, which is common in diabetics. When insulin levels are inadequate, the body will often excrete “offensive” acidic ketones. If untreated, ketoacidosis can lead to diabetic coma and death.

Obesity

Studies draw a direct association between bad breath and being overweight due to diets high in protein and dairy, which causes an overgrowth of foul-smelling bacteria due to excessive amino acids.

Alcoholism

We all know that we risk dehydration if we consume too much alcohol. That’s why the day after a night of imbibing; a nasty headache is likely to be your only souvenir.  This is because alcohol acts as a diuretic, depriving your body of water and prompting an unattractive case of dry mouth.

Acid Reflux

Digestive issues and other stomach conditions commonly cause halitosis. In fact, a plethora of digestive woes—including acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) obstruct efficiently digestion, causing it to remain and begin it’s decay in your gut, leaving you with regurgitation, acid indigestion, and smelly breath.

Stomach Ulcers

Another painful digestive woe that occurs on the inside and causes bad breath on the outside is stomach ulcers. Medical researchers claim that the very same bacteria linked to the growth of stomach ulcers, H. pylori bacteria, also causes chronic halitosis.

Kidney Disease

Do you have fishy breath? Did you eat a tuna sandwich recently? If you didn’t, you may be experiencing kidney issues. Because the kidneys filter toxic chemicals from our bodies via urine, once damaged,  they will become inefficient in toxin removal and a fishy, ammonia-scent may be noted in exhalation, indicating kidney failure or renal disease.

Lung Cancer

Bad breath can actually help pathologists diagnose lung cancer. This much cheaper alternative is being used more and more rather than costly and invasive biopsies and ultrasound scans to diagnose patients for lung cancer. Doctors actually scan a patient’s mouth using a pre-programmed “electronic nose,” which can identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in respired breath.

Sleep Apnea

We’re all guilty of some pretty evil morning breath. However, if you sleep with your mouth open, saliva production is obstructed during sleep, producing bacteria and severe halitosis. That’s why those prone to chronic snoring, or sleep apnea, will often breathe through the mouth and develop offensive sleeping breath in during deep slumber.

Cardiovascular Disease

Would you believe that a simple breath analysis could detect a heart condition? It turns out breath samples can diagnose several cardiovascular conditions, including a pending heart failure.

Please, let us take care of our health; it is very important. Remember, Health is Wealth.