Bad Breath
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Reviewed By:

Luri Lee, DMD

Luri Lee, DMD (Dentistry)

Dr. Luri Lee graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology. She then continued her education at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. During her time in dental school, Dr. Lee was the recipient of the Spencer N. Frankl Scholarship for her strong academic performance and active participation in the school and community. Following dental school, Dr. Lee stayed at Boston University to complete a one year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program. In 2020 Dr. Lee was recognized among the “10 Under Ten” by the Massachusetts Dental Society for her contributions to the dental community and her volunteer work in Panama. Dr. Lee is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and is a member of the American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society and Academy of General Dentistry.

Yoshinori Abe, MD

Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)

Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.

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Content updated on Mar 7, 2024

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  • Unpleasant odor of the mouth

  • Smell from the mouth

  • My breath smells bad

  • Smell in the mouth

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About the Symptom

Bad breath or halitosis is a persistent, unpleasant odor in exhaled breath. It is usually not significant but could be due to certain foods, poor oral hygiene, periodontal disease, dry mouth, smoking and tobacco and certain medical conditions.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Fever

  • Dysphagia

  • Chest pain during swallowing

Possible Causes

Generally, Bad breath can be related to:

  • Dental caries

    Dental caries occur when the hard outer layer of your tooth, the enamel, gets destroyed, sometimes forming small holes or cavitations. Common causes include eating and drinking sugary foods, frequent snacking, dry mouth and poor oral hygiene.

  • Stomatitis

    Inflammation of the mouth surface causes ulcers. Various factors can cause this, such as vitamin deficiencies, medications, and autoimmunity (the body's immune system attacking itself). Often, no clear cause is found, and the ulcers heal on their own.

  • Acute tonsillitis / pharyngitis

    Infection of the tonsils and pharynx (back of the mouth), either by viruses or bacteria.

  • Sinusitis
  • Candidiasis (oral, hands and feet)
  • Common cold (upper respiratory tract infection)
  • Coronavirus infection

Related serious diseases

Sometimes, Bad breath may be related to these serious diseases:

  • Uremia / chronic renal failure

    The build-up of toxins in the blood that is caused by decreased kidney function. Causes include repeated damage from infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, and autoimmunity (the body's immune system attacking itself). It usually occurs with chronic and end-stage renal disease but may occur in acute kidney injury as well. When toxins that are usually filtered out by the kidneys, stay in the blood, symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive issues, shortness of breath, muscle cramping, nausea and vomiting can occur.

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

  • Do you feel that you have bad breath?

  • Do you have headaches or a heavy feeling in your head?

  • Do you have any skin problems?

  • Do you feel any numbness or altered sensation?

  • Do you have a fever?

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Find Similar Symptoms

Similar symptoms or complaints

References

  • Lee PP, Mak WY, Newsome P. The aetiology and treatment of oral halitosis: an update. Hong Kong Med J. 2004 Dec;10(6):414-8. PMID: 15591601.

Reviewed By:

Luri Lee, DMD

Luri Lee, DMD (Dentistry)

Dr. Luri Lee graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology. She then continued her education at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. During her time in dental school, Dr. Lee was the recipient of the Spencer N. Frankl Scholarship for her strong academic performance and active participation in the school and community. Following dental school, Dr. Lee stayed at Boston University to complete a one year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program. In 2020 Dr. Lee was recognized among the “10 Under Ten” by the Massachusetts Dental Society for her contributions to the dental community and her volunteer work in Panama. Dr. Lee is licensed to practice in Massachusetts and is a member of the American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society and Academy of General Dentistry.

Yoshinori Abe, MD

Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)

Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.

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