What Causes Bad Breath Even After Brushing?
Bad breath can have many sources. The most common causes may be from poor oral hygiene, vomiting, a sinus infection, GERD, ketoacidosis, or liver failure.
Everyone encounters bad breath at some point. It certainly can be concerning to have bad breath after brushing, and mouthwash does not seem to help.
While there are some harmless causes for bad breath, some issues that cause this experience are more serious and require medical attention.
Possible Bad Breath Causes
There are a variety of different causes of bad breath, here are a few:
- Poor hygiene- Poor oral hygiene will cause bad breath. Failure to brush and floss your teeth daily can make your breath smell because of the plaque and bacteria buildup. Food that remains because you did not floss stays between your teeth, causes bad breath. Gum disease will also cause foul-smelling breath. It is also a result of poor oral hygiene. Neglecting your daily oral health care will lead to an accumulation of bacteria in your mouth, which causes an odor on your breath. Dentures that are not thoroughly cleaned will also cause halitosis. Regular professional cleanings are also recommended for proper oral hygiene.
- Sinus infections- Sinus and respiratory infections may cause your breath to smell. These might be the result of viral colds, strep throat, bronchitis, and more. When bacteria move from your nose into your throat, it will cause bad breath. Other symptoms of sinus infections include thick nasal drainage, a low-grade fever, a cold that lasts longer than 10–14 days, irritability and fatigue, headache, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, or swollen eyes.
- Bowel obstruction- An intestinal obstruction is a medical emergency happening when a blockage forms in either your large or small intestine. A blockage in your intestines will cause bad breath due to the trapped feces inside your intestines, and also from food that cannot move down your intestinal tract, causing bad breath. Besides an unpleasant breath, an intestinal obstruction can also cause decreased appetite, nausea, constipation, vomiting, abdominal pain, and severe cramps.
- Vomiting- Prolonged vomiting, and the resulting dehydration, will result in bad breath from dry mouth. Saliva naturally cleans your mouth and reduces odor, but when dehydrated, you do not produce enough saliva.
- GERD- Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, will cause bad breath. This is your stomach acid flowing backward into your esophagus. This acidic backwash irritates your esophageal lining, causing discomfort. If you have GERD, you may experience mild to severe reflux that occurs a few times a week, heartburn after eating, difficulty swallowing, the feeling of a lump in your throat, a persistent cough, laryngitis, asthma that is worse, or the inability to stay asleep.
- Ketoacidosis- Ketoacidosis is a serious complication if you have diabetes. It happens when your body produces an elevated level of acids in your blood called ketones. It is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Ketoacidosis will cause bad breath from the dry mouth, or the vomiting associated with the condition.
- Liver failure- Liver failure can be either chronic or acute. Acute liver failure may happen quickly and requires immediate medical attention. It might also cause bad breath from dehydration. A person with liver failure could experience weight loss, fatigue, jaundice, appetite loss, nausea, itching, diarrhea, or easy bruising or bleeding.