Causes of Bad Breath: Stomach Issues

When people think of what causes bad breath, stomach issues usually are not on the top of their lists. This is because we tend to believe poor dental hygiene causes bad breath – not stuff happening in your stomach. But, sometimes a bad breath cure comes about in an unexpected way. While dental hygiene is incredibly important in causing bad breath, some kinds of bad breath actually do involve the stomach. And while this form of halitosis is not as common as the other types, it is prevalent enough to warrant some good information on how to deal with it. This article will discuss how bad breath and stomach problems are related – and how you can deal with them both.

Bad breath is caused first and foremost by bacteria. Over 600 types of bacteria live in your mouth, finding hiding places in between a tooth and the gum, or in a cavity, or on the surface of your tongue. Most bad breath comes from this form of bacteria in the mouth, but other types of bacteria can infiltrate your stomach and cause all sorts of unpleasant illnesses and conditions. If you have ever had an upset stomach, or a “stomach bug”, then you have had a condition caused by bacteria. One such strand is called Helicobacter pylori, and it is one of the main culprits of halitosis and stomach conditions.

According to one expert in the field, a Dr. Nao Suzuki, a common bad breath cause is the presence of H. pylori, which resides in the mouth. This is also the bacteria that are responsible for causing stomach ulcers and, in some cases, cancer. Does this mean that someone with halitosis will have these stomach illnesses? Not necessarily. Still, that is one main link between bacteria, the stomach, and halitosis that is a distinct possibility.

Another link between bad breath and stomach conditions comes with something called gastroesophageal refluxed disease (or GERD for short). This disease is caused by either inflammation caused by the H. pylori bacteria or some physical defect or failure involving the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach. GERD is characterized by stomach acid going back up the esophagus and into the mouth, burning the lining and causing very uncomfortable symptoms. One of these symptoms is – you guessed it – halitosis.

Doctors are still trying to determine if GERD definitively causes halitosis in all cases, but what they do know now is that there is a high incidence of halitosis in GERD patients. This also holds true for other stomach-related conditions, such as chronic or acute gastritis (due to the belching caused by stomach inflammation). If you have halitosis and have good oral hygiene, are in good dental health, do not have problems with your sinuses, and are otherwise healthy, a stomach condition could possibly be the cause. More research is being done regarding the link between the stomach and halitosis.

As mentioned above, while most forms of bad breath over an extended period of time do come from bacterial infections in the mouth, sinuses, or nasal cavity, and typically involve some deficiencies I one’s dental hygiene, stomach conditions can have bad breath as one of their symptoms. If you think this applies to you, I urge you to see a doctor. They probably will not do anything specifically for the bad breath, but they can treat the underlying condition and help your halitosis subside. When talking about bad breath, stomach conditions are definitely causes you do not want to have at all.