Diagnosis | Bad breath through the stomach

Diagnosis

To make a diagnosis, all differential diagnoses, i.e. alternative diagnoses, must always be weighed in order to make the correct diagnosis. Above all, it must be checked whether adequate oral hygiene is present. This is where an initial self-test is appropriate.

One should pay attention to one’s own diet and note when the bad breath appears or whether it remains constant, whether the bad breath has a special smell and whether it is accompanied by a changed taste in the mouth. First of all, if bad breath persists, a doctor should be consulted. The doctor may order a blood test; imaging procedures may be used or an examination of the esophagus and stomach may be performed. In general, the following factors that could be related to bad breath should always be considered. These include salivation, stress, smoking, mouth breathing, tongue piercing, alcohol consumption, adequate fluid intake, meat consumption, body weight and above-average coffee consumption.

Associated symptoms

The symptoms accompanying bad breath depend on the cause of the bad breath. A common cause of persistent bad breath originating from the stomach is a reflux disease called heartburn. This is when the acidic content of the stomach rises back up the esophagus.

If heartburn is the cause of bad breath, it is accompanied by other symptoms. These include sore throat, hoarseness, frequent belching, coughing, burning in the esophagus or stomach pressure. In the case of stomach cancer, which causes bad breath, it is always accompanied by other symptoms.These include heartburn, stomach pain, fever or fatigue. Bad breath can also be a side effect of gastritis. Accompanying symptoms here would be a feeling of fullness, heartburn, stomach pain and possibly blood in the stool.

Treatment: Fight bad breath

The treatment of bad breath depends on its cause. If there is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach (gastritis) or a bulge (diverticulum) of the oesophagus, antibiotics or surgery must be performed accordingly. In many cases, however, the cause is a reflux disease.

This is often accompanied by hyperacidity. One can prevent or fight bad breath here by drinking enough water every day. It is important here to do without acidic beverages such as juices.

Furthermore, one should try to avoid stress and move around a lot. If necessary one can take acid-inhibiting tablets additionally to the regular medicine income after arrangement with the treating physician. In general, however, good oral hygiene is the cornerstone for the prevention of bad breath.

Furthermore, nutrition plays a decisive role in the development of bad breath through the stomach. Bad breath can also develop in the case of intolerances. There are mouthwashes to support dental hygiene, to suppress various disease-causing germs or those that only produce fresh breath.

In any case, one should consult the dentist in charge of the treatment with regard to the recommended ingredients. Depending on the indication, the ingredients of the appropriate mouthwash may vary. In general, medical mouthwashes from the pharmacy help against bad breath because they act against the bacteria responsible for bad breath.

These include, for example, mouthrinse solutions with active ingredients such as stannous fluoride, chlorhexidine or stannous fluoride. This might also be of interest to you: Dental careIf one would like to try however in natural way to fight the bad breath, there are various household remedies, which can be used. For example, you can rinse your mouth regularly with lukewarm sage tea.

Furthermore, gargling with tea tree oil dissolved in water has proven to be helpful. The same can be done with apple vinegar dissolved in water. An old household remedy against bad breath is chewing fresh mint leaves.

Furthermore, the so-called oil extraction is a widely used household remedy. It is said to help with gum problems, bad taste in the mouth, plaque on the tongue and bad breath. For this purpose, a tablespoon of cold-pressed sunflower oil is pulled through the teeth for 15 minutes in the morning on an empty stomach.

During this time it changes to a whitish liquid and is then spat out. However, the effectiveness of this method is not considered proven. If there is a stomach disease, caution is required when using household remedies. There are many different household remedies for combating bad breath, but not every household remedy has the desired effect. In some cases, antibiotics or other medical treatments are necessary.