Bad breath, which can become a constant companion of a person, can ruin relationships with others and reduce self-esteem. This condition is called halitosis, or halitosis. It is not an independent disease, but is one of the important symptoms of pathologies of the oral cavity and internal organs. You can drown out the stench with mints, spray or chewing gum, but this will not get rid of the problem. We need comprehensive diagnostic measures and subsequent elimination of the causes of halitosis.
Why does there be an unpleasant odor?
The oral cavity is the beginning of the digestive tract. It contains many bacteria; saliva contains enzymes that can break down carbohydrates. Therefore, after waking up, all people have bad breath. But this condition is not considered a pathology; it is enough to brush your teeth for the smell to disappear.
A persistent unpleasant aroma appears after eating dishes with garlic, onions, and some spices. When alcohol is abused, the sour stench persists for a day or more, which is associated with the metabolism of ethyl alcohol in the liver and the release of its vapors through the lungs.
A large number of unpleasant aromas accompany diseases that affect metabolism. In patients with diabetes who do not follow a diet or use insulin incorrectly, when ketone bodies accumulate in the blood, the smell of acetone appears on their breath. People suffering from kidney failure will repel those around them with the unpleasant aroma of urea, which the kidneys cannot remove from the body.
Common causes in adults are pathologies of the digestive tract. Halitosis is caused by:
- gastritis with high acidity;
- stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer;
- cardiac sphincter insufficiency;
- esophageal diverticula;
- malignant tumors of the stomach or esophagus.
Respiratory diseases can also cause an unpleasant odor. Air from the lungs passes through the oropharynx, so it can partially leave the body through the mouth. It smells unpleasant with purulent diseases of the sinuses, chronic runny nose or tonsillitis.
Sulfur, rotten onions and solvent: how the sense of smell changes after coronavirus
Can we breathe a sigh of relief if the coronavirus is behind us? As it turned out, not always. Often, those who have recovered from the disease complain of distorted perception of smells (parosmia) and olfactory hallucinations (phantosmia). Why does this happen and what can be done? Yulia Vladimirovna Roshchupkina, a neurologist at the Expert Clinic Tula, told us about this.
– Yulia Vladimirovna, what are olfactory hallucinations, what are they?
– These are deceptions of smell, that is, the perception of a smell that is absent in reality. People can smell neutral, aversive, and pleasant aromas. Many patients who suffered from long-term COVID-19 complained of “disgusting smells of fish, sulfur.” Some began to smell a “sweetish, unpleasant odor.”
– Why do such hallucinations appear after coronavirus infection?
– This side effect was explained by the fact that SARS-CoV-2 is a neurotropic virus. The reason for the distortion of odors is always either damage to the olfactory receptors or impaired identification of odors by the cerebral cortex.
– What is the risk that a person will experience olfactory hallucinations after illness? Is there any way to reduce this probability?
– According to doctors, after recovering from COVID-19, many experience olfactory hallucinations and parosmia. Most often, this happens to people who have completely lost their sense of smell for some time during illness. Sometimes for those who previously experienced loss of smell and taste, this symptom appears weeks or even months after recovery.
COVID-19 is a very insidious disease. It affects all organs, including nerve endings, causing the perception of aromas to become distorted. This does not manifest itself in all those who have recovered from the disease, and the reason for this selectivity has not yet been conclusively established. There is a hypothesis that olfactory hallucinations are one of the stages of recovery of the nervous system after an illness. When at least three to five years have passed since the first clinical cases were recorded and reliable statistical data can be obtained, we may be able to answer the question of how to reduce the risk of parosmia and phantosmia.
– Will the hallucinations go away and how soon?
– According to Italian scientists, after COVID-19, the normal functioning of olfactory receptors is restored on average in eighty days. Their colleagues from Germany talk about sixty days. But distortions due to impaired function of the cerebral cortex can last indefinitely. For people whose cortical part of the analyzer has been affected by the virus, it may take up to six months to return to normal sensations. The average time for smells to return is one to two months.
– Are there any recommendations for restoring normal sense of smell and getting rid of hallucinations?
– The problem is extremely urgent, but scientists have not yet found an optimal solution for it. All over the world, residual effects and features of post-Covid rehabilitation continue to be studied.
Doctor of Medical Sciences, infectious disease specialist Natalya Vorobyova says that the restoration of olfactory and taste neurons and their receptors will take some time, and this is determined by the processes of neuroplasticity.
To restore your sense of smell, experts from the charity AbScent, which supports people with parosmia and anosmia, advise training it: inhale essential oils of rose, clove and lemon for 20 seconds every day. The nose and brain will seem to be reacquainted with smells and remember them. Don't forget about peace of mind and mental health: meditate, try different relaxation practices, consult a psychologist or psychotherapist. Otherwise, a vicious circle is formed: significant disturbances in the sense of smell lead to severe stress, and stress, in turn, worsens well-being.
– Which doctor should I go to if hallucinations do not go away?
– As a rule, if the sense of smell is partially restored, there is a good prognosis for the restoration of the sense of smell in general. If olfactory disturbances turn out to be persistent, you should contact an otolaryngologist and neurologist to exclude other possible causes of phantosmia or parosmia.
If the rehabilitation period is prolonged, the patient may be prescribed a course of treatment aimed at restoring peripheral nerves. As a rule, it includes anticholinesterase drugs, special vitamin preparations and drugs that improve microcirculation.
– Is it dangerous to ignore olfactory hallucinations?
– Of course it’s dangerous! After all, hallucinations after COVID-19 are often delayed, and people sometimes mistake the symptoms of another disease for complications of a previous coronavirus infection.
The most common cause of olfactory hallucinations is brain damage. It can be caused by traumatic brain injury, cancer affecting one or another part of the brain, stroke, or neuroinfection.
Other unfavorable factors include: • mental illness (such as schizophrenia, personality disorder); • epilepsy; • intoxication of the body; • the influence of potent medications, psychotropic or narcotic drugs; • damage to the mucous membrane of the nasal sinuses; • dental problems; • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
There are many people who turn a blind eye to olfactory illusions for many years, without thinking about the impending danger.
There are three main ways to determine what is causing a symptom: • MRI of the brain • CT scan of the brain • EEG
For reference:
Yulia Vladimirovna Roshchupkina 2001 – graduated from the medical faculty of Kursk State Medical University. From 2001 to 2002 she completed an internship in the specialty “Neurology”. She specializes in acupuncture. Currently he holds the position of neurologist at the Expert Clinic in Tula. Receives at the address: st. Boldina, 74.
Dental causes of halitosis
When bad breath appears, disease of the teeth or gums is first suspected. Bacteria use leftover food in the mouth to feed themselves. If you brush your teeth incorrectly or completely abandon this procedure, a large amount of plaque accumulates in your mouth. Its rotting causes a repulsive odor. If plaque is not removed for a long time, dense tartar forms, and the stench persists for a long time.
Caries and tooth decay can also cause an unpleasant odor. These are areas where large numbers of microbes accumulate. The breath of people who do not remove decayed tooth roots in a timely manner has a strong smell. A stench can occur when wearing braces, dental plates, dentures, under which food debris accumulates. Any foreign body in the mouth requires additional cleansing.
The condition of the oral cavity is affected by the production of saliva. In some diseases it is not liquid enough. Dryness of the oral mucosa occurs, self-cleaning processes are disrupted and bacterial growth is activated. A similar mechanism works in hot weather or when playing sports, if you actively breathe through your mouth.
Smoking also contributes to the appearance of halitosis. Components of tobacco smoke settle on the teeth and combine with soft plaque. Dry mouth contributes to changes in the composition of saliva and an increase in its viscosity. You can get rid of the smell only by defeating a bad habit.
Chalky taste in women
A woman has such taste for a reason. Frequent and partial reasons for the appearance of taste: chalk, iron, herring in girls are changes in hormonal levels. Hormonal levels change during PMS and pregnancy.
Doctors explain this: In the first trimester, women eat excessive amounts of food. Without proper nutrition, they disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In the second trimester, appetite decreases significantly, and nutrition returns to normal. But the consequences remain. Heartburn, burning, excess weight. It is heartburn that contributes to the appearance of an unpleasant taste in the mouth, belching and odor.
The body's functioning processes are restored with the help of a harmonious diet and vitamin intake. They are prescribed by a general practitioner or your treating gynecologist.
What do different types of smell mean?
Unpleasant odors are caused by several types of volatile compounds produced by anaerobic bacteria. They use food debris on the tongue, between teeth and in carious cavities as a nutrient medium. Depending on the predominant compound, the character of the odor changes. Some of them suggest the pathology that caused halitosis:
- sour aroma – stomach diseases, gastritis or ulcers;
- feces, rotten cabbage - oral pathology, caries;
- smell of urine - kidney failure;
- the smell of ammonia or rotting apples – diabetes;
- rot, rotten meat - esophageal diverticulum.
You can find additional symptoms that will accurately indicate the cause of halitosis. If you have stomach pathology, you will experience pain between snacks. Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by excessive urination, dry mouth and thirst. Caries may not appear for a long time, but in advanced forms toothache appears.
Given the variety of causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of halitosis can be performed by doctors of different specialties. You need to see a dentist to get rid of dental diseases, but in other cases you will need to consult an endocrinologist, therapist or nephrologist.
What to do and who to contact?
A therapist will help you deal with this problem.
How he will do it:
- Recognizes patient complaints and symptoms. Ask questions about nutrition, sleep patterns, and oral hygiene. Will conduct an inspection.
- Prescribe the necessary blood and urine tests. Thus, it will find out which vitamins are missing, and whether there are any diseases that contribute to unpleasant taste sensations.
- Based on test results and symptoms, he will prescribe medications. Will tell you detailed steps and solutions for bad taste in mouth.
If the test results show that there are infectious or viral diseases in the body, the doctor is obliged to redirect you to a specialized medical specialist.
Remember! If there is any deviation of your immune system from the norm, you should consult a doctor. Only they can prescribe the correct and necessary treatment to solve problems. And our article will help you find out the possible reasons and not panic until a specialist’s verdict.
Add AN to your sources so as not to miss important events - Yandex News
Become a member of the CLAN and every Tuesday you will receive the latest issue of “Arguments of the Week” with a discount of more than 70%, along with exclusive materials not included in the newspaper. Get premium access to a library of the most interesting and popular books, as well as an archive of more than 700 published issues for FREE. In addition, you will have the opportunity to benefit from free legal advice from our experts for a whole year.
- Enter your email address, then select any convenient payment method for your annual subscription
- Scan the QR. In the Sberbank Online application that opens, enter the annual subscription cost (490 rubles). Then send the confirmation code by email
Or
Ways to combat unpleasant odor
It is not always possible to independently guess that your breath smells bad. A person does not perceive an unpleasant aroma, so he can judge its appearance by indirect signs. If you have any suspicions, you can use the edge of a spoon to collect plaque from your tongue and smell it. The condition of the saliva is judged by licking the wrist and waiting for it to dry.
You can get rid of an unpleasant odor using traditional methods. At home, a decoction of dill is used to rinse the mouth. At home you can prepare an infusion of medicinal herbs with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects:
- chamomile;
- Oak bark;
- sage;
- mint;
- calendula;
- St. John's wort.
At home, a decoction is prepared from a mixture of several herbs to increase effectiveness. The infusion must be highly concentrated to suppress the growth of bacteria and cleanse the oral cavity.
If halitosis is associated with eating foul-smelling ingredients, parsley or celery root will help get rid of it. They block foul odors, and chewing the fibrous structure cleanses the teeth. Observance of a drinking regime relieves halitosis. Clean water cleanses the oral cavity and keeps saliva in a liquid state.
The reason why these methods do not help are pathologies of digestion and metabolism. You can get rid of them at home only under the guidance of a doctor.
Treatment of digestive diseases
If the oral cavity is sanitized, but the smell remains, you need to contact a gastroenterologist. Before treating halitosis, an examination will be carried out to find the cause of the disorders. Gastritis and ulcers are associated with poor diet, but inflammation of the gastric mucosa is supported by Helicobacter bacteria. You need to get rid of them comprehensively.
To do this, the doctor will prescribe the following groups of medications:
- antacids – to reduce acidity;
- antibiotics – drugs to kill bacteria;
- healing agents - bismuth nitrate or De-nol to restore the mucous membrane.
In the treatment of cardiac sphincter insufficiency, when the opening between the esophagus and the stomach does not close, antacids are also used, supplemented with prokinetics that improve peristalsis. Treatment of digestive diseases is impossible without following a special diet.
How to improve your oral health
Good hygiene helps get rid of bad breath. If the cause is dense tartar, you need to visit the dentist and remove it mechanically. The toothbrush is powerless in this case.
Any dental defects must be treated. Carious cavities are cleaned and filled, and rotting tooth roots are removed. If necessary, prostheses are installed.
To get rid of the smell, you need to change your toothbrush and choose the right toothpaste. The brush should have medium hardness in order to clean the teeth well and not injure the gums. For better oral hygiene, you can buy a special tongue brush. Toothpaste is chosen based on gum sensitivity and related problems. The dentist will help you choose the product.
To thoroughly clean the spaces between teeth, it is not recommended to use wooden toothpicks. A special thread or brush will do the job better. Some threads contain mint fibers that add a pleasant aroma to your breath. And silver ions will stop the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.
Teeth should be brushed morning and evening. Before going to bed, after hygiene procedures, you do not need to eat. Leftover food at night will become a breeding ground for the proliferation of microorganisms that damage tooth enamel.
Eliminating other causes of unpleasant odor
It is more difficult to get rid of bad breath that is not related to dentistry. If the cause is metabolic disorders, treatment may take a long time. With diabetes, it is important to achieve stable blood glucose levels. Then the ammonia aroma will not bother you. To do this, patients with type 1 disease carefully select the dosage of insulin, and for type 2 diabetes mellitus, they are prescribed a balanced diet and medications to lower blood glucose.
For those with severe kidney problems, the only way to eliminate the smell of urea is to undergo hemodialysis. This is a method of artificial purification of blood plasma, which helps get rid of metabolic products.
Treatment of tonsillitis and respiratory pathologies is carried out with antibiotics. But with the chronic course of the pathology, this is a long process.
The most common cause of bad breath is improper oral care. By visiting the dentist at least once a year and choosing the right brush, paste and floss, you can avoid the onset of halitosis or treat it at an early stage.
Symptoms
An unpleasant taste in the mouth that occurs as a result of “nervousness” can have different manifestations. It could be:
- simply a nasty taste, sometimes described as terrible;
- taste of iron or blood;
- bitterness;
- taste of ammonia.
At the same time, neither bitterness nor any other nasty aftertaste:
- are in no way related to the products consumed;
- present for a long time, sometimes constantly;
- do not disappear after brushing your teeth.
Unpleasant sensations in the mouth may be in addition to other bodily manifestations of anxiety, such as palpitations or nausea, or they may come alone.
Sometimes there may be a noticeable connection between the occurrence of an unpleasant taste, iron taste or bitterness with stressful situations. And sometimes all these symptoms can appear as if out of nowhere.
Their intensity can vary from hour to hour, day to day, month to month. Or maybe permanent. Sometimes symptoms may go away completely and not appear for years. And then come back again, worsening the quality of life.
In some cases, unpleasant sensations may manifest themselves more clearly in the morning, in others - in the evening. This mainly depends on what time of day is more stressful for a person. For most neurotics, physical symptoms of mental stress manifest themselves more clearly in the morning. No wonder anxiety in the morning is a classic of the neurotic genre.
