There are several types of bad breath

The circumstances in which bad breath occurs are different for each person. For some people, bad breath is caused by gastrointestinal diseases. But for some people, bad breath is caused by bad living habits, so the causes are different. There are many types of bad breath, such as foul smell or fecal smell, which are embarrassing problems. So how many types of bad breath should be treated?

Bad breath smell – rancid

Bad breath is a rotten smell that may be a precursor to lung cancer. Lung infection, bronchitis, lung abscess, chronic tracheitis, pneumonia, emphysema and even lung cancer can cause bad breath to varying degrees. These odors are mostly caused by mucus that accumulates in the lungs. Among them, patients with lung abscess often have rancid bad breath. Such patients often have fever, purulent sputum, etc., and chest X-ray examination can generally confirm the diagnosis; patients with hemoptysis due to tuberculosis and hemoptysis due to bronchiectasis often have bloody bad breath; patients with advanced lung cancer often have rancid odor in their mouth and exhaled breath. It is worth mentioning that smokers often have a kind of bad breath that is easily recognizable. Even if he doesn't smoke, others can tell that he is a smoker by his bad breath. This type of bad breath is caused by smoke remaining in the anatomical dead space of the lungs.

The smoker's breathing movement gradually exhales, producing bad breath with a "smoke smell". When smokers also suffer from lung diseases, the odor may be more pronounced due to the further increase in the dead space volume and even the generation of pathological dead space.

Bad breath smell – the smell of decay

Bad breath is a foul smell and may be a sign of an upper respiratory tract disease. Upper respiratory tract diseases such as sinusitis, tonsillitis and pharyngitis will secrete a large amount of protein-containing mucus, some of which forms nasal mucus and the rest flows from the nasal passages into the oropharynx. Some of this mucus adheres to the back of the tongue or the oropharynx, and when the protein breaks down, it produces a putrid smell.

Bad breath odor – sour smell

Bad breath is the smell of corruption and may be a stomach problem. When the pyloric part of the stomach is narrowed or obstructed, food stays in the stomach for too long and produces a sour, smelly, and rotten odor that is emitted through the mouth. Gastric diseases such as reflux esophagitis can also cause pathological bad breath, and the vomitus adhering to the mouth and throat will continuously release "sour gas". Usually, bad breath can be significantly improved after active treatment of stomach problems.

Bad breath smell – rotten apple

Bad breath has a putrid smell and may be caused by diabetic pyruvate poisoning. When a person's blood sugar level is too high and not under control, the fat in the body breaks down and produces ketone bodies, the α-ketoglutaric acid in which emits a sour, rotten apple smell. When this odor is exhaled, the ketone body concentration in the patient's body is already very high, close to or reaching the level of diabetic ketoacidosis. Medical attention is needed promptly, otherwise there will be a risk of life.

Bad breath smell - urine smell

Bad breath has a foul smell and may be caused by uremia. The foul smell of urine is mostly emitted by patients with chronic nephritis or kidney disease. When the disease progresses to the stage of chronic renal failure (commonly known as uremia), due to anuria, certain toxic substances cannot be excreted from the body and are retained in the blood, which will cause the patient's exhaled gas to emit a urine smell. This is a signal that the condition is becoming critical.

Bad breath odor – fecal odor

Bad breath is a rotten smell and may be a sign of liver failure. When liver failure occurs, the liver's metabolic capacity weakens and its ability to break down toxins decreases, leading to increased blood ammonia and a slightly sweet excrement odor in the mouth, also known as the "breath of death." The body's ability to metabolize certain branched-chain amino acids is weakened, which can also lead to a rotten apple smell.