A lot of people suffer from bad breath. Such a nuisance becomes a problem in relations with other people and contributes to the development of numerous complexes in a person. You can cope with it at home, but first you need to find out the reasons for the unpleasant odor coming from the mouth.

The main causes of bad breath

Bad odor from the mouth has medical name - halitosis... It can arise for various reasons.

Dry mouth

If there is little saliva in the mouth, then the oral cavity is less cleaned and pockets of an unpleasant odor appear. Saliva is a natural mouth cleaner. With age, its amount decreases, and more and more waste products of bacteria remain on the mucous membrane of the gums and between the teeth.

Some medications can cause dry mouth or dry mouth. The mouth also becomes dry after smoking or during prolonged conversation.

ENT pathology

A stench from the mouth may appear for various diseases of the nasopharynx:

Halitosis can also be caused by diseases of the trachea and lungs... Treatment of these pathologies will correct the situation only for a while. In order for various local inflammations to disappear, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system. In acute inflammatory processes, the use of rinses, ointments, inhalations, injections is required.

ENT pathology, due to which bad breath may appear, also includes the curvature of the nasal septum.

Dental reasons

To the development of bacteria, and therefore can lead to halitosis:

• tartar;
• tooth cysts;
• periodontal disease;
• caries;
• gangrenous pulpitis.

As a result of the development of these pathologies, microorganisms and their metabolic products multiply in the oral cavity, which become the cause of stench. If all diseases of the teeth and gums are cured, but the smell remains, then you need to contact a therapist or ENT doctor.

Therapeutic reasons

Artificial constructions

The cause of halitosis in the mouth can be poor care of implants, crowns and other artificial structures on the teeth. Bacteria begin to develop in them, due to which an unpleasant odor appears. Careful care and disinfection will help get rid of uninvited guests.

How to remove bad breath?

There are many methods and remedies that can help you get rid of bad breath.

Drinking plenty of fluids... If the salivary glands do not work well, then the oral cavity is not rinsed enough and an unpleasant odor begins to emanate from it. You can get rid of it with plenty of drinking.

During the day, you need to drink as much pure water as possible, as well as green and black tea without sugar, which also have a deodorizing effect. An adult should drink about two liters of water per day. This will not only eliminate halitosis, but also prevent early skin aging and many other problems.

Coffee is an express remedy to remove odor. People who drink freshly brewed coffee in the morning rarely suffer from halitosis. However, the coffee should not be instant. Use ground whole grains, which must be cooked according to all the rules. For this, it is advisable to use a Turk. In some cases, it is necessary to eliminate the unpleasant odor urgently, at least for a few hours. To do this, you can simply chew on the coffee beans.

Oatmeal. If the small intestine has a special structure and its length is greater than the standard one, then digested food will be deposited in its numerous folds and slags will stagnate. As a result, halitosis will occur. A simple and cheap remedy will help to get rid of toxins - oatmeal. Every morning for breakfast, you should eat oatmeal without sugar boiled in water with vegetable oil. After at least two to three weeks, bad breath will disappear forever.

Salty water... The simplest remedy for halitosis is salt water. The solution should be a tablespoon of salt and ½ liter of water. In the morning on an empty stomach, the entire solution is drunk, and after 15 minutes you can start breakfast. Best of all, if it is some kind of porridge with milk, since milk neutralizes the irritating mucous saline solution. The course of treatment depends on the degree of halitosis and can last for five or seven days.

Plants for eliminating bad breath. The chlorophyll found in plants has been found to be an excellent deodorant for the oral cavity. The green pigment has an antibacterial effect that will help get rid of both old halitosis and the common cold. Therefore, doctors recommend including as much spinach, broccoli, Swiss chard, and Brussels sprouts as possible in your diet. It is in these crops that the chlorophyll content is very high. Today, there are even special toothpastes on sale, which include a green pigment.

Sorrel, dill and parsley infusions... Greens also contain a lot of chlorophyll, making parsley, dill, and sorrel good for eliminating bad breath. Halitosis will gradually disappear if you drink dill tea after meals every day, brewing for this a tablespoon of herbs in one glass of water. You can remove the smell with the help of sorrel and parsley decoctions. For their preparation, a tablespoon of chopped greens is poured with two glasses of water and boiled for 15 minutes. It is recommended to take ¼ glass before each meal.

Hydrogen peroxide... This chemical compound is capable of killing bacteria, so it can be used to treat halitosis. It is necessary to regularly rinse your mouth with a solution prepared from three teaspoons of peroxide and a glass of water. It is recommended to carry out the procedure two to three times a day.

Tonsil ablation... With inflammation of the tonsils, purulent plugs form on them, which are the source of bad breath. In this case, experts advise to wash the tonsils. But such a procedure does not give a lasting result. After a few months, the inflammatory process resumes. You can get rid of purulent plugs and halitosis by burning the tonsils under local anesthesia.

Express methods to eliminate bad breath from the mouth

You can quickly remove the unpleasant odor emanating from the oral cavity for a while using the following means:

Herbal teas for fresh breath

Decoction of fresh mint leaves... It is prepared from 3 teaspoons of raw materials and 300 g of water. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. It is best to prepare the broth in the evening so that the cooled product can be filtered and used for rinsing. The procedures are carried out for two weeks, 3-4 times a day.

A decoction of calendula, St. John's wort, sage, chamomile, strawberry and mint leaves. Mix the herbs in equal proportions. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water and let it brew for about 5 hours. Then the broth is filtered and used for rinsing in the morning and evening.

Infusion of gray alder... This recipe was appreciated by many people. For its preparation, five tablespoons of alder bought in a pharmacy are poured with two glasses of boiling water and infused for at least a day. Before use, the infusion must be filtered, otherwise pieces of raw materials can get stuck between the teeth. The rinsing procedure for the first two days is carried out every two hours. Then every day the interval between rinses is increased by one hour. The procedures can be stopped as soon as the interval between them is about 12 hours. Bad breath will disappear in two to three months.

If halitosis has appeared as a result of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then it is useful to drink tea with mint, lemon balm and sage. Anise, caraway seeds, parsley and dill should be added to the dishes.

Preventive measures

To avoid halitosis, you should adhere to several recommendations:

Observing all preventive measures and using folk remedies, you can easily remove an unpleasant odor from mouth. But you should not fully rely on them. If you do not identify and cure the underlying disease, then folk recipes to get rid of halitosis will only help for a short time or will be useless at all.

Very often there are people who cover their mouth with their palm during a conversation. Such gestures are due to the presence of an unpleasant smell. Let's try to understand the main causes and methods of treating bad breath in adults.

Varieties of odor from the mouth

Halitosis (the medical name for the problem) is noted in the vast majority of the population. It can appear immediately after sleep, throughout the day, after eating, etc.

There is a certain classification:

• true halitosis (felt both by the carrier and by people from his environment);
• pseudo-halitosis (felt only with direct communication with other people);
• halitophobia (the patient inspires himself with the disease).

They also distinguish between physiological and pathological types. The first manifests itself after the absorption of certain products, nicotine, etc. It is divided into oral (caused by problems in the oral cavity) and extraoral (develops with internal disorders).

Chronic bad breath causes psychological discomfort in the wearer. A person becomes withdrawn, avoids close communication, collective events, personal life collapses. Therefore, it is imperative to identify and effectively eliminate the problem.

Causes of bad breath

Halitosis often occurs after ingestion of fatty and protein foods.

The main reason explaining the occurrence of bad breath in an adult is unjustified cleaning of the oral cavity. As a result, microbes begin to multiply, as a result of their vital activity, a heavy putrid aroma is felt.

People who wear dentures are more likely to have mouth stinks than others. This means poor-quality cleaning of the prosthesis, which is why pathogens also accumulate on its walls.

Physiological causes

1. Taking a certain group of medicines.
2. Plaque on teeth or tongue.
3. Severe dry mouth.
4. Smoking.
5. Eating foods that cause an unpleasant odor (onions, garlic, etc.).
6. Improper nutrition.

If a person often snores in his sleep, then with a high probability he will gasp from the mouth in the morning. This is due to the strong drying out of the mucous membrane, as a result of which bacteria actively multiply.

Physiological reasons also include stress and nervous tension, hormonal imbalance, and weak immunity.

Pathological causes

1. Carious lesions of the teeth, stomatitis, periodontal disease, etc.
2. Pustules in the mouth or throat (strong putrid odor).
3. Digestive system pathologies (smells like hydrogen sulfide).
4. Pancreatic diseases, diabetes (acetone amber).
5. Liver and kidney pathologies.
6. The presence of malignant tumors, tuberculosis, pneumonia (putrid or purulent odor).

Very often, patients are diagnosed with halitophobia (fear of the presence of an unpleasant odor from the mouth). This condition is absent when the main symptoms appear.

Diagnostic features

Treatment for bad breath is done after diagnosis.

To understand what caused bad breath, look at the accompanying symptoms:

• bloody discharge from the gums;
• painful sensations;
• violation of stool (frequent constipation or diarrhea);
• white coating on the tongue;
• dry or moist cough;
• nasal congestion;
• nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness;
• jumps in blood pressure.

To determine the presence of halitosis on your own, it is enough to breathe in a closed palm or paper napkin. If you smell a stench, then you need to see a medical specialist. You may need to consult a dentist, gastroenterologist, surgeon, urologist.

It is imperative that the patient will be referred for laboratory tests of blood, urine, and feces. If necessary, the problem will be identified using ultrasound, X-ray diagnostics and other types of instrumental studies.

Methods for treating bad breath

As a rule, if there are physiological reasons, disposal is quick and effective. Consider the main points of treatment in adults.

Oral hygiene

If strong breath is the result of poor teeth cleaning, remember that this procedure should be performed at least twice a day. At the same time, certain rules are observed:

1. Dentists recommend using special mouthwashes every day. They remove food debris and eliminate pathogenic bacteria.
2. After eating or smoking, use hygiene products such as a refreshing mouth spray, hard candy, or chewing gum.
3. It is imperative that during cleaning it is necessary to carefully process the tongue from plaque, which over time causes halitosis.
4. To clean the interdental spaces, you can use special dental floss.
5. Correctly selected toothbrushes and toothpastes will also help get rid of halitosis.

If caries, stomatitis or other dental diseases are the cause of the stench, then it is imperative to treat them.

Pharmacy products

Such drugs eliminate the primary sources of the disease.

For the treatment of halitosis, mouthwashes are used, which have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

In the fight against bad aroma will help:

• Listerine;
• Chlorhexidine;
• "Remodent";
• "Camphomenus".

The appropriate drug will be selected by the attending physician, based on the cause of the problem.

Traditional methods

What to do when you need to eliminate the smell urgently, but there is no way to contact a pharmacist? Use traditional medicine.

Bad breath is masked by:

• Carnation;
• propolis;
• mint;
• chamomile.

A short-term effect is given by teas and decoctions based on them. To get rid of the stench quickly, you can chew a few cloves.

Drug therapy

A specialized specialist can cure an eerie, associated with pathological reasons, bad breath. For example, a dentist deals with the treatment of caries, periodontal disease.

For the treatment of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs, the following drugs are used:

• "Almagel" (for gastritis or ulcers);
• "Festal", "Creon" (to restore the work of the pancreas and improve intestinal motility);
• antibiotics (in the presence of pathogenic bacterial microflora).

Independent decisions in this case will aggravate the situation. Only a specialist can cure the disease. Based on the results of a comprehensive examination, he will select the drug, its dosage and the duration of the course.

Apples, carrots, spinach help to get rid of the terrible smell from the mouth. It is recommended to exclude from the diet dishes that may entail the appearance of stench, which we have listed above. Doctors can also prescribe specific dietary meals as needed.

Video: Five reasons why there is a bad breath, and their elimination.

Smelly foods can cause bad breath. Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. Treatment for halitosis will depend on what caused the bad breath. Treating bad breath is very simple. If bad breath persists, you should see a doctor for the purpose of identifying the causes of bad breath and treating it. And treatment is necessary if the odor from the mouth is persistent and if you cannot establish the cause of this odor from the oral cavity, consult a doctor to identify the cause of the unpleasant odor and treat it. Smell from the mouth. Treatment methods with folk remedies. The causes of bad breath can be divided into two groups: associated with diseases of the oral cavity or associated with diseases of the internal organs. Consider below not only all the possible causes of bad breath, but also the methods of its treatment.

Bad breath - causes and treatment

Bad breath can ruin anyone, even a well-formed image. With the advice of professional doctors, we will help you, at least, not to attract the attention of others with your breathing.
Halitosis is a medical term for bad breath.
Morning bad breath is a purely physiological phenomenon and can be eliminated with an ordinary toothbrush. In addition, certain foods such as garlic, onions, or cabbage can also cause bad breath. All these manifestations refer to physiological odor from the mouth (halitosis (bad breath) y). Eat less of these odorous foods.
However, more than a quarter of the world's population suffers from pathological halitosis (bad breath) and (bad breath). In this case, not a ton of chewing gum, not mountains of mint candies, or newfangled mouth sprays help - the smell still remains unpleasant.

Bad breath can also be caused by advanced caries. A large number of anaerobic bacteria and food debris accumulate in cavities. These cavities are difficult to clean with conventional hygiene products, which makes the disease highly resistant. The same applies to periodontitis - microbes actively multiply under the gum, causing a sulfurous odor. In this case, even blood and purulent inflammatory exudate in the gum pockets smells unpleasant.

Wearing dentures can also lead to halitosis - firstly, the smell will be absorbed by the polymer base of the denture, and secondly, pieces of food can remain under the dentures and decompose there, exuding "aromas".

Another cause of halitosis is decreased saliva secretion and dry mouth syndrome. When saliva is not released quickly enough and in small quantities, the natural cleaning of the oral cavity from food debris is disrupted, favorable conditions are created for the reproduction of microorganisms, and local immunity is reduced.

Common causes of halitosis include mainly chronic diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract, ENT diseases, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders, etc. For example, in women, bad breath may appear against the background of the onset of the menstrual cycle, which associated with elevated estrogen levels. These hormones contribute to increased desquamation of the epithelium, including the mucous membrane of the mouth, and this is a favorite breeding ground for anaerobic microorganisms.

In many cases, halitosis should force the patient to check their health - the smell signals a more serious illness. So, in about 8% of cases, the cause of halitosis is the pathology of the ENT organs. Chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, tonsillitis, nasal polyps often have an unpleasant odor.

Many people know that a consequence of diabetes mellitus is often the smell of acetone released during breathing. Dysfunctions of the liver and gallbladder are also accompanied by a "pungent" heavy odor, and renal failure - putrid "fishy". So, before you run to the pharmacy for a new toothbrush and advertised paste that kills germs on the spot, go to the doctor.

Food is also of great importance. For example, garlic and raw onions contain substances that belong to the group of sulfur compounds. They are able to be absorbed into the bloodstream and then excreted through the lungs when breathing.

Alcohol, nicotine, coffee and certain medications (antibiotics and sulfonamides, antidepressants, antihistamines and anti-inflammatories) cause dry mouth and, as a result, lead to an unpleasant odor.

Stress, nervous tension or excessive enthusiasm for diets and fasting also lead to the occurrence of halitosis. During starvation, a deficit in the intake of proteins and fats is created, the utilization of endogenous reserves begins, which can also cause an unpleasant odor. It appears at the moment of transferring a stressful situation and disappears after the cessation of emotional stress. Among the reasons are called impaired salivation and dry mouth.

Now in medicine, effective methods are used for the diagnosis of halitosis. You can estimate the intensity of an unpleasant odor using a special device - a halimeter. It is not only useful for diagnosis, but also allows you to assess how well the treatment is progressing.

Some dentists use microbiological tests to identify the bacteria that cause halitosis, such as analyzing the composition of plaque. With the help of a mirror, the back of the tongue is examined - it should be the same color as the mucous membrane of the mouth. White, cream or brown color indicates glossitis. The condition of the patient's teeth is also assessed for the quality of hygiene.

It is also necessary to consult an ENT doctor (for the presence of sinusitis and polyps) and a gastroenterologist - he must exclude systemic diseases such as diabetes, hepatic and renal failure.

Treatment for halitosis will depend on what caused the disease. If these are neglected ENT diseases, then you will have to undergo treatment with an otolaryngologist. Other chronic illnesses require consultation and treatment from an appropriate specialist.

If the cause of an unpleasant odor lies in the oral cavity, then it is necessary to eliminate foci of infection, remove decayed teeth that cannot be restored, undergo a course of professional oral hygiene with the removal of supragingival and subgingival dental deposits.

Any smell is volatile. This problem is solved in different ways. Often people try to mask the odor with mouthwash or chewing gum. But few people know that the effect of gum is temporary and they have a detrimental effect on the gastrointestinal tract. As for mouth rinses, they kill the natural flora of the oral cavity, and this can only increase the bad smell. To date, CB12 halitosis is the only product that completely neutralizes VOCs rather than masking them. With daily use of the product, fresh breath will become your constant companion. Unlike other mouth rinses, it retains its effect for 12 hours, acts directly on the cause of the odor, while not disrupting the normal flora in the mouth.

Good hygiene is essential: brushing your teeth should be done with a toothbrush and floss to remove plaque and food debris from your teeth. And cleaning the tongue should become an obligatory daily procedure. This not only helps to eliminate odor, but also reduces the total number of bacteria in the oral cavity, which has a beneficial effect on the health of periodontal tissues. If periodontitis has already been diagnosed, it is worth starting to use special irrigators for the oral cavity to more effectively remove infected masses and food debris from the periodontal pockets. Plus, these irrigators can help relieve dry mouth.

Don't forget to eat well, too: Excess fast carbohydrates (sugar and processed foods) increase dental plaque and lead to tooth decay. Eat plenty of fiber. Fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits can help normalize bowel function and reduce bad breath.

Checking your breath

In order to determine the freshness of breath, it is enough to bring your palm to your face in such a way as to simultaneously cover your mouth and nose. After that, breathe out deeply with your mouth. Smell? If you cannot clearly define what and how much it smells, get a disposable mask at the pharmacy and breathe into it for a minute. The smell under the mask will exactly match the smell that others feel from you during communication.

Today, specialized breath indicators are produced that can determine the level of freshness on a five-point scale. The manufacturers of this device assure that its use is a sign of good taste. In fact, it is easier to talk about the smell with your loved ones, ideally with a child, because children are less diplomatic in these matters and will tell the whole truth.

In medical institutions, a more complex device is used - a gas analyzer. With its help, you can determine the chemical composition of the air that is exhaled, and based on the analysis, determine the causes of the bad smell.

Why is bad breath bad?

The main causes of halitosis (bad breath) are:
- insufficient level of hygiene;
- diseases of the teeth and gums;
- xerostomia - insufficient moisture level of the oral mucosa;
- inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.

In these cases, bacteria and food debris that have accumulated in the mouth are responsible for the offensive odor. It is almost impossible to deal with these phenomena at home. This halitosis (bad breath) can only be cured in dental clinics.

But it must be borne in mind that halitosis (bad breath) can cause not only diseases of the oral cavity.

One in ten cases of odor are:
- ENT diseases: tonsillitis, sinusitis, rhinitis;
- diseases of the intestines and stomach;
- lung diseases;
- disorders of the endocrine system;
- all kinds of diets;
- some medicines;
- smoking.

What does the disease smell like?

Hydrogen sulfide smell - the smell of rotten eggs. The smell is caused by the decay of protein substances. If the smell is accompanied by painful symptoms in the abdomen after eating, belching and nausea, then it can be caused by gastritis with low acidity, peptic ulcer, diverticulosis of the stomach or esophagus, etc.

Very often, such an unpleasant smell can occur after a banal "holiday" overeating. In such cases, you can get rid of it with the help of absorbent substances (activated carbon, "Smecta"), as well as preparations based on enzymes ("Festal", "Pancreatin", "Mezim", etc.).

A sour smell and taste in the mouth can cause: gastritis with high acidity, ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the esophagus.

The smell and taste of bitterness is a manifestation of diseases of the gallbladder and liver, this can also be evidenced by a yellow coating on the tongue.

The smell of feces from the mouth can occur with dysbiosis, intestinal motor neuroses (dyskinesia) and intestinal obstruction.

Acetone odor with a sugary aftertaste can cause pancreatic diseases and diabetes mellitus.

The smell of urine from the mouth is indicative of kidney disease.

Treatment of halitosis (halitosis - bad breath)

First of all, try adding tongue cleaning to your two-day brushing routine. It is better to do this in the evening with an ordinary teaspoon. With light, gentle movements from root to tip, clean the tongue of daytime plaque. The procedure is not very pleasant, but effective.

Cleansing your tongue will rid you of bacteria that could grow significantly overnight in a favorable oral environment. Believe me, thanks to this evening procedure, your breath will be significantly fresher the next morning.

Clean the gaps between your teeth with a special floss floss. If you don't have this tool at hand, use the old people method: tear off a strip of pure polyethylene, stretch it into a thread and remove food debris and plaque from the interdental space.
- After eating, be sure to rinse your mouth. You should not use tea for this purpose, it darkens the tooth enamel.

We make our own mouth rinses

1. A tablespoon of mint, chamomile, sage or strawberry is poured into a glass of boiling water. After cooling, the broth is filtered. Use for rinsing after meals 3-4 times a day.
2. A tablespoon of oak bark is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and heated in a water bath for up to 30 minutes. Strain after cooling and rinse the mouth and throat. Oak bark has a firming effect on the gums and cleanses the tonsils from plaque, which can be a source of bad breath due to the large accumulation of infectious constituents.

An irrigator provides more effective cleaning of the oral cavity at home. It is a toothbrush-like instrument that cleans the gaps between teeth with a strong jet of water that massages the gum surface to activate blood circulation.

Choosing a toothpaste for bad breath
For halitosis (bad breath), you should choose a toothpaste that does not contain alcohol. Alcohol dries out the mucous surface of the oral cavity, as a result of which the smell increases.

Also, look for pastes that contain chlorine-based antibacterial agents.

When choosing a rinse aid, the same principles are used as when choosing a paste. In addition, modern mouth rinses may contain ingredients (zinc and choloric) that reduce the activity of halitosis (bad breath) through chemical reactions.

Fast fresh breath effect
There are a large number of modern means of quickly getting rid of bad breath: aerosol fresheners, gum, lozenges, etc. They are distinguished by both rapid effectiveness and low stability, due to their short duration of action.

What to do when they were not at hand at the right time?

First, try drinking a strong cup of tea and then rinsing your mouth and throat with clean water.

Apples and carrots will help get rid of the smell. Onion or garlic aromas can be neutralized with parsley or celery root.

By chewing on a coffee bean, you can muffle unpleasant odors and tastes in your mouth.

It is not uncommon for people who have to talk a lot during the day to have bad breath. This is due to the drying out of the oral mucosa due to a decrease in the amount of saliva.

Saliva is a natural way to cleanse your mouth. Saliva contains the antibacterial enzyme lysozyme, which ensures the destruction of bacterial cells. In addition, saliva helps dissolve food debris and toxins released by bacteria. Lack of saliva is one of the main causes of bad breath.

In such situations, you should simply drink more often. A small amount of liquid will keep the mouth from drying out, remove the unpleasant aftertaste and freshen the breath.

Include oatmeal porridge in your morning diet, this product significantly activates the production of saliva.

If there is no toothbrush nearby, you can wipe your teeth, gums and tongue with your finger. Thus, you not only get rid of the unpleasant odor, but also massage the gums.

Use walnut pulp to rub your gums. In this way, you can provide your mouth with the necessary vitamins and freshen your breath with a pleasant nutty taste.

You need to understand that bad breath is a problem that interferes with your normal life. Halitosis (bad breath) is a direct threat not only to personal self-esteem, but also to a person's social status. Sociable communication, attractiveness and sexuality can be destroyed in an instant by repulsive breath.

Halitosis (bad breath) is a problem that needs to be addressed. At the same time, one should not go to extremes, traditional methods of hygiene procedures are familiar to us from childhood, and they should not be neglected.

If the odor persists even after daily oral hygiene, you need to see your dentist. In nine cases out of ten, your problem will be resolved within a few visits. If your mouth and teeth are healthy, and the smell continues to bother you, then you will have to look for the reasons inside the body.

Start your visit to doctors with an ENT. Diseases of the nose, throat and ear most often provoke problems with fresh breath. If no claims are found on the part of these bodies, then it's time to visit a therapist. It is possible that the cause of the unpleasant odor is an exacerbation of the disease, which has taken on a chronic form and to which you have long been accustomed.

Bad breath, causes and treatments for this phenomenon are of concern to many adults. This symptom makes it difficult to communicate freely with others at home, at work, in public places. He always suggests that there are some health problems. Actually this symptom is characteristic of many diseases of the internal systems, but not always the reasons for its appearance are dangerous.

The essence of the problem

Bad breath with an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity is called halitosis by doctors. If a person noticed such a symptom in himself, you should first figure out what kind of problem is taking place:

• True halitosis is the real presence of a fetid odor perceptible to a person and those around him. The cause is disease.
• Pseudohalytosis is a condition in which a bad smell is so weak that only the person himself or herself notices it.
• Halitophobia - it seems to a person that he has a putrid odor from the mouth, but even a dentist does not confirm his presence.

To check for a foul smell, you can place a tissue on the back of your tongue and sniff it or check the scent of a used toothpick. There are special sensitive devices for assessing the amount of hydrogen sulphide gas in the exhaled air, which smells unpleasantly of rot and is formed in the body during diseases. If you feel the aroma of acid or gives off rotten - you should go to the dentist or therapist to find out the reasons for the violation.

Halitosis reasons

The causes of bad breath in an adult can be extremely varied, and it is impossible to determine the pathology only on this basis. Therefore, you need to take into account other symptoms that arose simultaneously with halitosis:

Possible reasons	The nature of the smell	Associated symptoms
Dental diseases: caries, periodontitis, stomatitis.	Offensive odor with a tinge of rot, worse in the morning.	Pain in the teeth, ulcers on the mucous membrane, bleeding.
Diseases of the urinary organs: nephrosis, pyelonephritis, cystitis.	Reminiscent of ammonia.	Lower back pain, fever, discomfort when urinating.
Sjogren's Syndrome.	Foul odor, like caries.	Dry mouth and eyes, photophobia, difficulty swallowing.
Respiratory pathologies: sinusitis, sinusitis, proliferation of adenoids and polyps, pneumonia, purulent bronchitis, tuberculosis.	Purulent odor.	Sore throat or sinuses, mucus production, nasal breathing difficulties, changes in voice and pronunciation, plaque on the tonsils.
Liver failure.	A rotten smell of spoiled meat or eggs.	Light feces, dark urine, mucous membranes and skin turn yellow, in the mouth - a bitter taste.
Diseases of the stomach and small intestine: gastritis, ulcer.	Sour breath from an adult or child.	Stomach pain, heartburn, stomach or intestinal bleeding.
Intestinal dysbiosis.	Putrid odor.	Digestive disorders, accumulation of intestinal gases, flatulence.
Problems with the pancreas, diabetes mellitus and insipidus.	Offensive sour odor mixed with acetone.	Persistent thirst, profuse urination, weakness, accumulation of excess weight.

Dental diseases

If the cause of bad breath in an adult lies in dental problems (this happens in 80% of cases), you should contact your dentist. The appearance of a fetid odor indicates that pathogenic microorganisms accumulate in carious lesions or under tartar, which cause decay processes. Ignoring the situation will lead to tooth loss due to damage to the internal tissues of the tooth or gums.

With stomatitis, bad breath also indicates the vital activity of bacteria. The infection can provoke severe fever, serves as a source of pathogens that can enter any other organ through the bloodstream. For treatment, the doctor will recommend antibacterial drugs, mouthwash.

Most of the problems found in dentistry have one reason - poor hygiene. It is worth skipping cleaning in the mornings and evenings for two days - and it already stinks from the mouth with rot. Bacteria are not eliminated from the surface of the teeth, they begin to multiply more actively, their waste products accumulate and, together with food, form a soft plaque, which then turns into hard dental calculi. Therefore, you can prevent the appearance of a stench from the mouth by observing the rules of hygiene.

Digestive problems

The causes of bad breath in adults associated with the digestive system are very dangerous, but not so common: about 10% of cases. They lead to depletion of the body, impaired immunity, provoke pain, the patient's mouth smells sour.

If pathogenic bacteria develop in the intestines, they can enter the respiratory and urinary organs and form new foci of infection.

It is impossible to eliminate the rotten smell with toothpaste or rinse aid in such diseases., you must definitely contact a therapist or gastroenterologist who will prescribe treatment:

Liver disease

When people try to find out why the mouth smells like rot and there is an unpleasant taste, diagnostics often reveal liver dysfunctions. This gland secretes bile, which has a bitter taste, which causes an intermittent sensation of bitterness when gastric contents enter the pharynx through the esophagus.

Liver diseases are provoked by various reasons: viral hepatitis, poisoning, alcohol intoxication, irregular nutrition. Therefore, the treatment is developed individually. Your doctor may recommend:

• Quitting addictions.
• Prescription of drugs - hepatoprotectors.
• Compliance with a diet.
• Treatment of viral diseases with antiviral therapy.

Pancreas problems

The presence of a bad smell in a woman or a man is always unpleasant, but this symptom sometimes reveals unexpressed diseases in healthy-looking people. This happens when the smell of acetone from the mucous membrane of the mouth appears. Having consulted a doctor, patients may unexpectedly detect an increase in blood sugar. The aroma of this substance accompanies the breakdown of a large amount of fat in cells that lack available carbohydrates.

The following measures will help reduce the harm of diabetes to the body and fight halitosis:

• Constant monitoring of sugar levels and timely use of insulin when it rises.
• Compliance with a diet.
• The use of hypoglycemic agents.

Halitosis in respiratory diseases

In every tenth patient with complaints of fetid breath, the causes of the symptom lie in diseases of the respiratory tract. For infections that provoke sore throat, sinusitis, pneumonia, antibiotic therapy is necessary, and it is better to first identify the type of pathogen. For this, a bacterial sowing of a biomaterial is done.

If pathogenic microorganisms are delayed and actively multiply due to neoplasms (polyps, adenoids), surgery may be necessary. But not in all cases, doctors consider the operation to be necessary, the decision is made after a complete diagnosis, taking into account the probable harm and benefit to the patient.

Along with the treatment of the respiratory system, you must carefully monitor the cleanliness of the oral cavity so that the infection does not accumulate on the teeth.

Rare causes of halitosis

Rotting smell from the mouth, caused by kidney or other organ problems or Sjogren's syndrome, is rare. But the possibility of their occurrence cannot be ruled out. That is why, in the absence of diseases of the digestive, respiratory system and diseases of the oral cavity, it is necessary to continue the search for pathology. To establish where the putrid odor from the mouth came from, to identify the cause and to build a treatment regimen, the following examinations may be needed:

• Urine tests.
• Ultrasound of internal organs.
• Diagnostics of the functions of the glands of the body (salivary, lacrimal).
• Biopsy of various organs.
• Immunological examinations.

Temporary halitosis

The causes of bad breath in adults can be harmless. That is why healthy people may experience temporary halitosis, which is not associated with organ diseases:

In these cases, you should not worry about the rotten smell from the mouth, about the causes and treatment. But if the symptom does not disappear over time and is accompanied by other abnormalities, you should consult a doctor.

Urgent symptom elimination

It is imperative to treat any disease that causes sour, rotten odor from the mouth, the smell of rotten eggs. Such diseases cannot be eliminated in a day, sometimes long-term therapy and special medications are required. But in life there are situations when you need to get rid of the stench urgently, for example, before a date or a business meeting. If your breath stinks, you can:

• Chew menthol gum.
• Thoroughly brush your teeth with mint paste and mouthwash.
• Chew the coffee beans for a few minutes.
• Rinse your mouth with antibacterial drugs (Chlorhexidine).

All these methods are only able to temporarily remove the rotten smell from the mouth, the causes of halitosis remain, and after a few hours it returns again. A more effective way to get rid of the smell of rot or rotten eggs in the mouth is to rinse your mouth with disinfecting solutions regularly. For this, special pharmaceutical preparations are used, a decoction of chamomile. This procedure will not immediately get rid of halitosis, but the effect will be more stable.

The causes of bad breath in adults and the treatment options for this symptom are incredibly varied. Halitosis can occur in both healthy and sick people, so diagnosis is always necessary. Especially if the aroma is very sharp, purulent, contains admixtures of acetone and ammonia, when a bitter taste is added.

If the mouth stinks in the morning, it means that the person does not take enough care of the oral cavity. To get rid of the manifestation, you should brush your teeth more thoroughly and use natural and pharmacy rinses more often. For ailments of internal organs (liver, stomach, pancreas, tonsils, sinuses), full treatment should be carried out, prescribed medications should be taken and, if necessary, an operation should be performed.

The success of a person in our world is determined not only by intelligence and quick thinking, purposefulness, charisma and efficiency. Self-confidence, charm, energy play a significant role in this. We are ashamed of bad breath in the morning or at the dentist's office. Bad breath worries us at the moment of important negotiations or romantic meetings, distracting from work or not allowing us to express our thoughts at the right time. Halitosis is the medical definition of this problem. Bad breath is already a psychological problem for some people and it is not only possible to solve it, but also necessary.

Are the reasons always the same?

Sometimes the smell from the mouth is heard by others only upon close contact with a person, and he, in turn, greatly exaggerates the scale of the problem.

Bad breath can occur suddenly, appear intermittently, or be a constant companion throughout the day. There are types of halitosis:

1. True halitosis (when objectively others notice unpleasant breathing in a person). Its reasons can be both in the peculiarities of physiology, human metabolism, and act as a symptom of diseases.
2. Pseudo-halitosis (there is a subtle stale breath felt upon close contact with a person, to a large extent the patient himself exaggerates the scale of the problem).
3. Halitophobia (the patient is dominated by fear and conviction that he has a bad breath, and the dentist does not find obvious evidence of this).

Depending on whether the patient complains of "morning" breathing (lack of freshness in the mouth with awakening) or "hungry" breathing (unpleasant odor on an empty stomach), the doctor may suggest possible reasons for its appearance.

The main culprits of physiological halitosis are plaque on the teeth and the posterior third of the tongue, tartar, food debris in the mouth, "odorous" foods that a person ate the day before, microorganisms, tobacco, alcohol. Saliva normally cleans the surface of the teeth and tongue, constantly reducing microbial activity due to its composition.

With poor oral hygiene and plaque accumulation, microorganisms (mainly anaerobic bacteria) as a result of active vital activity produce hydrogen sulfide, which gives the exhaled air an unpleasant shade. During sleep, a person is at rest for a long time, the secretion of saliva and its movement in the mouth decrease, bacteria take advantage of this and, as a result, bad breath in the morning. After brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth, all processes are set in motion, the smell disappears.

Pathological halitosis can occur as a consequence of diseases of the teeth, gums, tonsils (oral), and be a symptom of diseases of other organs and systems (gastrointestinal tract, liver, respiratory system, etc.).

We are looking for the cause in the oral cavity

The main causes that are found in the human oral cavity and are associated with the appearance of bad breath are as follows:

• carious cavities in the teeth;
• accumulation of plaque in pathological gingival pockets, the formation of tartar (with periodontitis);
• the formation of the gingival "hood" over the erupting wisdom tooth and the ingestion of food debris under it;
• stomatitis of various etiologies;
• diseases of the salivary glands, in which the viscosity of saliva and its cleansing ability are sharply reduced;
• diseases of the tongue;
• the presence of orthopedic structures in the oral cavity (crowns, prostheses, plates and braces in children);
• increased sensitivity and exposure of the necks of the teeth with loss of bone tissue and atrophy of the gums, which complicates dental care and contributes to the accumulation of plaque.

Both medications (antibiotics, hormones, antihistamines) and stress can have a temporary effect on the composition and properties of saliva. Saliva becomes viscous, stringy, it is produced much less, which causes the development of xerostomia (dry mouth).

Halitosis as a symptom of diseases

Bad breath can be a symptom of various medical conditions. In ancient times, doctors, using the assessment of breath and smell, could diagnose the onset of the disease.

Extraoral causes of the development of halitosis are distinguished, i.e., not directly related to the oral cavity.

This includes:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, gastroduodenitis, stomach ulcer, pancreatitis, gastric sphincter insufficiency, in which food is thrown back into the esophagus, which is accompanied by belching and heartburn);
• diseases of the liver and biliary tract (liver failure, hepatitis,). They are characterized by a "fishy", "fecal" smell from the mouth, the smell of rotten eggs;
• chronic infections of the nasopharynx and areas adjacent to the oral cavity (, rhinitis, adenoiditis, tonsillitis, sinusitis);
• respiratory tract infections;
• (smell of ammonia in exhaled air);
• metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus).

How to evaluate breathing?

Many people with unpleasant, repulsive breath are not even aware of the problem. It's good if a loved one or friend points to her. But this is not always possible, relatives are afraid of offending a loved one, and colleagues prefer to keep communication with him to a minimum. But the problem remains.

There are several ways to test yourself:

• ask someone close to you to evaluate the smell from the mouth;
• lick your wrist (spoon, napkin), let it dry and smell;
• use odorless dental floss to clean the spaces between the teeth, dry, evaluate the smell;
• use a pocket apparatus (halimeter) to measure the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the exhaled air. The assessment is made on a scale from 0 to 4 points;
• if you want to know exactly the degree of breath staleness, you can be examined by a specialist on special supersensitive equipment.

How to treat bad breath?

To get rid of bad breath, the first step is to pay proper attention to oral hygiene.

First of all, do oral hygiene. Regularly clean your teeth in accordance with all the rules, using not only a brush and paste, but additional means: dental floss, a scraper to cleanse the tongue, rinses that reduce the concentration of bacteria in saliva. Many people are unaware that the main accumulation of plaque occurs at the root of the tongue, in the back third of its back.

You need to clean your tongue every day. You can use a toothbrush for this, on the back of the head of which there is a rubber studded pad specifically for this purpose. But in some people, this cleansing causes a strong gag reflex. Specialists have developed special tongue scrapers for these patients. Alternatively, to reduce gagging during cleansing, use a toothpaste with a strong mint flavor or hold your breath while the scraper is in contact with the root of the tongue.

Even the familiar rinsing of the mouth with water after meals has a significant effect, removing food debris from the folds and preventing microbes from converting them into acids and hydrogen sulfide.

Rinses and toothpastes

For people suffering from halitosis, it is recommended to use products containing antiseptics such as Triclosan, Chlorhexidine, and baking soda. It has been proven that 0.12-0.2% Chlorhexidine solution reduces the number of anaerobic bacteria by 81-95% for 1.5-3 hours. A good effect is given by the use of rinses and toothpastes with Triclosan (0.03-0.05%). Anti-halitosis effect is exerted by toothpastes and gels, which contain 3-10% carbamide peroxide. But alcohol-based rinses, with constant use, cause dryness of the mucous membranes in the mouth and a decrease in saliva production.

Help from nature

To combat stale breath, our ancestors also actively used preparations of plant and animal origin - propolis, alfalfa, chamomile, echinacea, myrtle, infusion of fresh dill, decoction of tansy with wormwood and yarrow (brewed for 15 minutes). A good, but short-term deodorizing effect is provided by freshly brewed strong tea. Essential oils (essential oils) reduce bad breath by 90-120 minutes (mint, tea tree, clove, sage oils, grapefruit seed extract). In this case, the use of chewing gum gives an even shorter result, masking the smell itself, but not eliminating the cause of its appearance.

Removal of stones and plaque

A person can independently clean up soft plaque, and only a doctor can remove more dense formations with the help of special instruments. This is done mechanically or using ultrasound. At the time of cleaning over and subgingival stones, pathological pockets formed along the roots of the teeth with periodontitis are simultaneously washed.

Treatment of common diseases

If bad breath is a symptom of any chronic disease of internal organs or systems, it is necessary to carry out complex treatment. The dentist eliminates all causal factors in the oral cavity (plaque, stones, chronic inflammation of the gums), selects the means and hygiene items, and the therapist together with other specialists treats the underlying disease.

The problem of bad breath is a common phenomenon familiar to many. But more often we pay attention to the other person and do not at all suspect the presence of stale breath in ourselves. Do the odor tests yourself, it's not difficult at all. It is possible that an attentive attitude to your health will return you a hundredfold. Halitosis, which suddenly appears in a person, can be the first symptom of serious illness and a person who noticed it in time significantly increases the chances of early detection of the problem. Consequently, its timely decision. Love yourself and take care of your health!