BAD BREATH AND HALITOSIS SYMPTOMS
"Bad Breath is due to a bacterial imbalance of the biofilms of the mouth and throat".
Bad Breath Smell
is the most obvious symptom. Bad breath is a unique problem, as having it, does not mean that you have sickness or problem, but it can also be a symptom of a sickness or problem such as liver failure, uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid problems, and TMAU (fish odour syndrome).
But in general, bad breath is due to the breakdown of proteins to amino acids and then onto smelly sulphur compounds. Bad breath is prevalent in both healthy people as well as sick people. Really bad breath will depend on the amount of protein able to be broken down, and the levels of bad breath bacteria that live in the mouth and throat.
Different bacteria will make different volatile sulphur compounds and therefore different smells. If these volatile sulphur compounds are situated on the tongue or in the throat, then your bad breath will be noticeable when you talk or exhale, or sigh. If the volatile sulphur compounds are located in the nasal tract, then the smell will be obvious when you breath out through your nose with your mouth closed. An interesting point is that you cannot smell your own bad breath when you exhale, however you can smell it when exhaling through the nose.
Bad taste or taste changes
Changes of taste in the mouth may happen for a number of reasons. Basically if you have a bad taste or a sour taste, then most likely you are tasting sulphur compounds that are collecting in your gums and tongue. However if you have a taste change or a metallic taste then this is an indicator of dry mouth. These changes are caused by the lack of saliva. Also remember that overuse of mouthwash, drinking too much water, over use of gum with artificial sweetener and even overuse of chlorine dioxide, can all lead to a metallic or taste change in the mouth.
Coating on your tongue
Just as you get a coating on your teeth called plaque, everyone gets some coating also on their tongue. This coating is generally a mixture of sulphur compounds mixed with mucous and sometimes food particles or coffee or tea and probably bacteria. If this coating is not cleaned away every 24 hours then it will mature and allow bad breath bacteria to live and grow within. It is bacteria in this coating that people smell when you exhale whilst talking. Another way to check your tongue is to rub a clean handkerchief over the tongue surface. Have a look at what the handkerchief removes and also smell the handkerchief.
Tonsil stones (tonsiloliths)
Patients that have post nasal problems often report coughing up small condensed stones that smell awful. These tonsil stones are made from compressed sulphur compounds, mucous, and bacteria. They are an excellent indicator of nasal problems causing bad breath. If you produce enough mucous to form tonsil stones then quite likely you also have mucous lining your nasal passages. This mucous can be thick enough to support bad breath bacteria. One test is to see if you can smell bad breath when you are breathing out through your nose.
The "lick wrist" test
Allow the licked area to dry for 10 seconds, and then smell that area. This way you are smelling the crystals deposited on the back of the hand. If it has an odour, then you have bad breath. This is not a great test, but it is good for when you are out and about and you need a quick breath check.
Breath Clinic Analysis
Australian Breath Clinic has invested in the latest hi tech equipment to be able to accurately diagnose and treat bad breath. We use both Gas Chromography and Halimeter to break down your mouth gas into the actual smell compounds. By doing this Australian Breath Clinic is able to see where is the source of your problem. Once we know the source we can tailor a program suitable for you. Unfortunately the Clinic is only available to our Australian Customers, but for our extensive database of customers outside Australia, we offer an Internet Quiz by email with Dr Speiser. This is a free service. Obviously it will not be as accurate as if you actually attended our clinic, but it still will allow us to narrow the source of your problem.
Hints from other people
This is probably the most unreliable test, as it plays on each person's individual personality. Hints can be: someone rubbing their nose while you talk, someone moving away while you talk to them, or an offer of mints or gum. This should not be accepted as a sign of a breath problem, unless you can verify the problem with at least one other test described above.
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