What Bad Breath Says About Your Health

No one likes to hear it, but we’ve all had bad breath. It might strike first thing
in the morning or after a particularly garlicky meal. Regardless, sometimes no
amount of mouthwash or breath mints will banish a nasty case of halitosis. However, if bad breath becomes chronic, it might become more than an embarrassing problem or even tooth decay. Lingering halitosis may indicate an underlying health issue that you aren’t even aware of.
So let’s forget about the awkward social mortification for a moment and discuss the many health conditions that persistent bad breath might indicate. Here are the ten most common medical conditions that cause bad breath…


1. 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.

2. 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.

 3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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