What does Halitosis Smell Like

What does Halitosis Smell Like?
Halitosis, more commonly known as bad breath, can be embarrassing. But what if skipping the onions or garlic does not help? In fact, bad breath can actually be indicative of a serious medical condition, and not all bad breath smells the same. Here are five versions of bad breath that merit scheduling a visit to your dentist soon.
Rotten Egg Smell
Breath that smells like rotten eggs often indicates a problem with your digestive tract. That is because gut microbiota breaks down sulfur, releasing that eggy-smelling gas. Causes for this may be Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD, which happens when stomach acids creep back up the esophagus, or other digestive concerns.
Fruity or Sweet Smell
Ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes, often smells in the breath having a sweet, fruity odor. The reason is because people dealing with diabetes often suffer from inadequate insulin production that creates the burning of fats and then results in the production of ketones. These ketones will produce a fruity odor that often smells like acetone. This same odor can be the result of chronic kidney failure, also a symptom of diabetes.
Moldy or Fungus Smell
Sometimes growths, microbial buildups, or infections in the sinuses will contribute to breath that smells like fungus or mold. Sinus infections quite often cause thick, yellowish mucus to drip from your nose or sinuses to the back of your throat. As you breathe in and out, an overabundance of microbes, foreign particles, and metabolites accumulate and build up, causing bad breath, or halitosis.
Fecal Smell
As terrible as it sounds, if your breath smells like feces there is a high probability you might have a bowel obstruction. A bowel obstruction occurs when stools start to back up, resulting in the large or small intestines no longer able to process waste. If your breath smells like poop, combined with constipation, it is a good sign that you might have a bowel obstruction.
Fishy Smell
Your kidneys are responsible for creating urine, and they do this by removing toxic chemicals from your blood. When your kidneys become so damaged and they no longer can filter this waste, toxins start to accumulate throughout your body, resulting in a fishy breath smell.
Dental Care and Bad Breath
The majority of the time, bad breath is the result of one of two things, the lack of, or poor, oral hygiene and a poor diet, which includes smoking. But there are unique smells that might be indicative of a bigger health concern. Your dentist is your first line of defense in fighting halitosis, and often treating your overall health.
How to Treat Halitosis at Home
If your condition is not severe, you might treat it at home with simple remedies that can help reduce your bad breath. Some of these treatments include:
* Brushing your teeth twice a day.
* Flossing daily.
* Using mouthwash daily.
* Using a tongue scraper to remove bacteria and food particles.
* Chewing fresh parsley or mint leaves.
* Chewing sugar-free mint gum.
* Avoiding smoking and foods that cause your bad breath.
* Drinking plenty of water and using a mouthwash formulated for dry mouth.