Bad breath: Is it coming from the gut? (2024)

FAQs

Bad breath: Is it coming from the gut? ›

Sulfur-digesting bacteria and other organisms in your digestive system utilize sulfur compounds within food, producing hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, and methyl mercaptan as an end product. This can make your breath smell bad and give you chronic halitosis.

Your digestive tract may be the cause of your foul breath if you frequently get heartburn or reflux after eating particular meals, such as dairy and spicy cuisine. These acids may smell sour, which causes gaseous odors to impact your breath.

Try chewing sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production and help banish bad breath. Keep a healthy mouth. Brush twice a day, clean in between your teeth with interdental brushes, floss, or water flossers daily, and use a mouthwash to ensure you don't have food particles or bacteria contributing to bad breath.

Things to remember

Halitosis is caused by sulphur-producing bacteria in the tongue and throat. The major causes include a dry mouth caused by certain foods, smoking, poor oral hygiene and a coated tongue. The treatment of halitosis will depend on the underlying cause.

Food. The breakdown of food particles in and around your teeth can lead to more bacteria and cause a foul odor. Eating certain foods, such as onions, garlic and spices, also can cause bad breath. After you digest these foods, they enter your bloodstream, are carried to your lungs and affect your breath.

Patients with gut problems have described multiple noticeable smells from the mouth. These include a: Rotten smell that resembles the scent of rotten eggs or sulphur. This is the most common smell people describe when experiencing chronic bad breath due to a gastrointestinal disorder.

When breathing, this overabundance of metabolites, foreign particles, and microbes can cause an unpleasant smell that is similar to fungus or mold.

The most common cause of halitosis is poor oral hygiene. Without proper oral hygiene — like brushing, flossing and routine dental cleanings — harmful bacteria invade your mouth and multiply out of control. This can lead to several oral health issues like halitosis, cavities and gum disease.

A new meta-analysis found that the ingestion of four probiotics can reduce the compounds that cause bad breath, at least in the short term. The four beneficial probiotics are Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus reuteri, Streptococcus salivarius, and Weissella cibaria, all of which may benefit gut health.

What drink kills bad breath? ›

Dry mouth contributes to bad breath, so be sure to drink a sufficient amount of water (six to eight 8-ounce glasses) daily. Drinking water will help keep odor under control because it helps wash away food particles and bacteria, the primary cause of bad breath.

Bad breath that just won't go away or a constant bad taste in your mouth can be a warning sign of advanced gum disease, which is caused by a sticky, cavity-causing bacteria called plaque. Garlic, onions, coffee… The list of breath-offending foods is long, and what you eat affects the air you exhale.

Use proper dental hygiene, especially flossing. Remember that mouthwashes are not effective in treating the underlying problem. Fresh parsley or a strong mint is often an effective way to fight temporary bad breath. Avoid smoking.

Avoid trigger foods

And, as we know now, bad breath and gut health are linked to each other closely. It is essential to be mindful of what we put inside our bodies. Follow a healthy diet with enough fiber containing fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water to ease the digestion process.

Sulfur-digesting bacteria and other organisms in your digestive system utilize sulfur compounds within food, producing hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, and methyl mercaptan as an end product. This can make your breath smell bad and give you chronic halitosis.

Diet. To reduce GERD symptoms and bad breath, try changing your diet by avoiding or limiting foods that can trigger acid reflux and cause bad breath. These include foods and beverages such as alcohol, caffeine, onions, garlic, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppermint, spicy foods, chocolate, and fried/fatty foods.

Drink enough water: drink at least 2 liters of water / day to help the salivary mechanism of the mouth work properly, limiting bad breath. Gargling with physiological saline is a simple and effective way to prevent plaque, kill bacteria in the mouth, and overcome bad breath caused by acid reflux.

Fight bad breath

One study had 23 people use an antimicrobial mouthwash and then take either a placebo or a supplement with the probiotic Streptococcus salivarius for three days. They found that 85 percent of the people who took the probiotic had major reductions in the amount of bacteria that caused the bad breath.

With gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the muscle between your esophagus and stomach doesn't close properly. As a result, the contents of your stomach can back up into your esophagus, throat, or mouth. If you have GERD, your breath may sometimes smell sour, like partially digested food.