What Your Breath Says About Your Health

Believe it or not, the way your breath smells says more about you than oral health alone. While we often brush our teeth to get rid of funky morning breath, your mouth could be sending you a message about your overall health in a broader sense.

At Bloor West Smiles, we offer a variety of dental services in Toronto, which also means we see mouths of all shapes and sizes. One thing we’ve come to recognize is the impact of external factors on oral health.

Here, we’ll discuss some of the reasons your breath might smell, and what you can do about it.

Fishy Odours and Your Kidney Health

Your kidneys are essential to a healthy life. They cleanse our blood streams, removing toxins and chemicals from our body, and flushing them out as urine.

When your kidneys don’t function the way they are meant to, it can impact many areas of your body, including your respiratory system. You may notice several symptoms related to kidney disorders, including:

• Fatigue
• Blood in urine
• Itching
• Foamy urine
• Dry skin
• Frequent urination

Another symptom of kidney disorder is a fishy odour on your breath. If you experience fishy breath, you may need more than just dental services; you should see your doctor.

Dry Mouth and Bacteria

The average human adult should drink 11.5-15.5 cups of water per day. If you’re not drinking enough water, your breath is going to tell you about it.

Throughout the day, bacteria forms in our mouths. While brushing your teeth and seeking dental services in Toronto can help, your body also relies on saliva to naturally flush bacteria out of your mouth.

When you are dehydrated, your body doesn’t make enough saliva to keep your mouth clean. If you brush regularly and still notice bad breath, it could mean you need to increase your water intake.

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

If you notice particularly bad breath when you wake up every day, it could be more than your typical morning breath. Like missing your water intake requirements, dry mouth through the night can lead to a build-up of stinky bacteria in your mouth.

Individuals who snore often encounter this issue more often than those who breathe normally while sleeping. Sometimes, snoring is caused by a condition called sleep apnea. This causes you to stop breathing during the night and can be dangerous if serious.

Some snoring complications can be treated by your dentist or orthodontist, especially if jaw alignment is an issue. Check local dental services in Toronto to see if your specialist offers help with snoring.

Sweet-Smelling Breath and Diabetes

Sometimes, having sweet-smelling breath is just as worrisome as sour-smelling breath. If the sweet odour isn’t related to your toothpaste or mouthwash, you may want to talk to your doctor.

Diabetics don’t produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. This may cause a strange scent on your breath, like acetone or fruit alcohols. Ketoacidosis can be fatal if left untreated.

Other symptoms pointing to the possibility of diabetes include:

• Constant thirst
• Frequent urination
• Blurred vision
• Unexplained hunger
• Weight loss
• Dry skin
• Fatigue

Fortunately, modern medicine allows many diabetics to lead perfectly healthy lives with changes to diet and medication.

Acid Reflux and GERD

The human stomach produces natural acids that break down the foods we consume. Sometimes, these stomach acids get out of control, especially if our bodies react poorly to the food we eat.

GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, causes stomach acid to rise up into the esophagus. The condition may cause food to be digested more slowly and bring up bits of this undigested food along with the stomach acid.

If your bad breath comes with a sour taste or a burning in your chest, it could be an issue relating to acid reflux or GERD.

While dental services in Toronto likely can’t help with the GERD symptoms, we can help you protect your teeth from the negative impact of acids that make their way into your mouth.

Allergies and Sinusitis

If you have seasonal allergies, your bad breath could be telling you that the seasons are changing and it’s time to stock up on allergy medicine.

Post-nasal drip, mucus build-up, and respiratory infections can all lead to foul-smelling breath. Your breath could be impacted by bacteria, which comes in with these seasonal problems, or by dry mouth accompanying extended periods of mouth breathing when your nose gets stuffed up.

If you experience symptoms like:

• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Runny nose
• Stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Itchy eyes

You might be suffering from allergies. Similarly, a common cold can also impact your breath odour. Be sure to brush regularly, and gargle with salt water to clear out unwanted phlegm and odour.

Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

Perhaps some of the most common causes for bad breath are tooth decay and gum disease. If your breath smells bad even after brushing, there might be something going on under the surface.

Your teeth are made up of layers, and bacteria sometimes penetrate these layers, especially if you’ve had a filling or a chip in your tooth recently.

If bacteria gets into, or under, your tooth, not only will you feel a difference, you may smell one too. Keep teeth clean by:

• Brushing regularly
• Flossing between meals
• Rinsing with mouthwash
• Making regular dental appointments

Fortunately, finding reliable dental services can save you a lot of pain and discomfort. If you’re concerned that tooth decay or gum disease is the culprit for your bad breath, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.

Learn More About Bloor West Smiles

Interested in learning more about dental services in Toronto with Bloor West Smiles? We invite you to give us a call or contact us online. Our staff is always happy to hear from new clients, and chat with returning ones.

Call 1-416-766-1407 to make an appointment with an experienced dentist today, or to hear more about how Bloor West Smiles can help you and your oral health.