Did you know that your breath can say a lot about your overall health? Even if you brush your teeth twice a day as per the recommendation, your morning breath can say a lot about your health. People have different kinds of breath for a reason. Dr. Mitch Vanhille advises maintaining good oral health and taking note of your breath to understand what is happening. We will discuss several types of breath and what they say about your health.
Kidney Health
According to professionals, your breath can say a lot about your kidney health. Your kidneys are integral organs that help cleanse the bloodstream and remove chemicals and toxins from the body. If your kidneys are not flushing out the toxins, it can impact other parts of your body, including your oral health. Some of the symptoms of kidney disorders are fatigue, bloody urine, itching, dry skin, and frequent urination. If you have a fishy smell in the mouth, it is a clear sign that your kidney health is wanting. Therefore, it is crucial to seek dental services if you have a fishy smell from the mouth.
Diabetes
A sweet-smelling breath could also mean an underlying issue. How? If the smell is not coming from the toothpaste or mouthwash, it means there is an issue to do with your blood sugar level. Being diabetic means your body is not able to produce enough insulin to regulate your blood sugar level. Apart from the sweet-smelling breath, other symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, constant thirst, and increased appetite could also mean you are diabetic.
Bacteria
It is crucial to drink enough water every day to improve your overall health, including your oral health. Your breath can tell if you have been drinking enough water. Remember, bacteria form around the mouth, and the body relies on saliva to flush out the bacteria. If you are dehydrated, it means you don’t have enough saliva, and that is when you get bad breath. Therefore, bad breath could mean you are not drinking enough water.
Snoring
Lack of drinking a lot of water leads to bacteria buildup that causes a stinky smell. Additionally, people who snore at night tend to have a drier mouth than those who don’t. Mostly, snoring is caused by a condition called sleep apnea where a person stops breathing when asleep. Bad breath could mean you are not breathing well at night. Therefore, consider dental services to stop the snoring problem.
GERD
You may also notice you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if your breath comes with a sour taste and chest burns. This disease causes a rise in stomach acids in the esophagus. It slows down food digestion, and some of the bits may go up with the stomach acids, causing a sour taste and chest burn.
Gum Disease
Bad breath could also mean you have gum disease or tooth decay. Remember, bacteria buildup on the teeth causes bad breath. The bacteria may sometime penetrate to the inside causing the decay. Therefore, if you start to notice bad breath, consider checking for signs of tooth decay or gum disease. If you notice these problems, develop a dental cleaning routine to maintain your oral health.
Conclusion
These are signs that your bad breath is more than the normal morning breath. If you notice such abnormal breath, it means there is an underlying health issue that needs treatment. Consider visiting your dentist to evaluate your situation.