Signs You Have Bad Breath
By Lauren Mccluskey
2 years ago
1. Unpleasant odor coming from the mouth
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The first sure sign that you have bad breath is when you notice an odor coming from the mouth. It might be hard to describe exactly what it smells like but it's probably going to be pretty unpleasant and you might notice that people are avoiding getting too close to you!2. Bad taste in the mouth
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If you have an unpleasant odor coming from your mouth, it's likely that the source of this is inside your mouth or throat. And it's also likely that you're not just being troubled by the unpleasant odor but you also experience a bit of a foul taste in your mouth too.3. Yellowish or whitish tongue
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If you're having issues with your bad breath, it might not only be the odor or the foul taste you're forced to deal with. You might also notice an unsightly yellowish or whitish tongue that may or may not feel a little tender. And if that's not bad enough, it might also even feel furry to the touch.4. Dry mouth
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To accompany the odor, the foul taste, and the unsightly yellowish or whitish-looking tongue, you might also have a dry mouth. This might be due to a number of reasons including thirst and could either be the cause or a symptom of your chronic bad breath.5. Difficulty tasting
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If you've got bad breath, you might not notice it as much as other people notice it so it is wise to look out for signs if you feel like people are recoiling from you. And another one of these signs is that you might have more difficulty tasting delicious foods than anyone else.6. Furry or fuzzy feeling in the mouth
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If you've got a particularly dry mouth, or you've not brushed your teeth for a while, you'll probably feel a furry or fuzzy layer on your tongue, teeth, gums and inner lips, and cheeks. And this can be a sure sign that your breath certainly does not smell as fresh as it could.7. Unpleasant taste or smell when brushing teeth
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When you're brushing your teeth, you may also catch a stronger whiff of your odorous breath, and you might even experience a really unpleasant taste in your mouth during your brushing and flossing routine too. Far from the minty freshness you want to be tasting!8. Difficulty or painful swallowing
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If you have any difficulty swallowing, or it is particularly painful, there is a chance that you have some sort of infection in your throat. And like with any infection, this can cause an odor that might lead to bad breath. You might also have swelling in your throat too. So don't suffer in silence! Get it checked!9. Chronic sore throat
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Having a chronic sore throat can also be a cause of bad breath and can be a sign that you have an infection in your throat. It could also be a sign that you have an infection in your sinuses or you regularly suffer from acid reflux. All of these can cause a sore throat and bad breath too.10. Tonsilitis
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If you regularly get tonsilitis, you'll probably be more than aware that this painful infection can cause you to have bad breath. Even if you don't usually suffer from bad breath, any infection in the throat can cause it and needs to be treated before it gets worse.11. Mouth sores or ulcers
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If you suffer from mouth sores or ulcers, you might experience bad breath. But the good news is that you can treat this using antibacterial mouthwash and it doesn't usually last long. However, if you suffer from stomach ulcers, the bacteria that cause these can cause foul-smelling breath too which is less easy to treat.12. Crusty or sore lips
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Many of the symptoms and causes of bad breath, including mouth sores, infections, and dry mouth, can also cause crusty and sore lips. Be sure to seek some help from a medical professional if you're having trouble with sore lips and bad breath as there might be some treatments that are suitable for you.13. Coughing frequently
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Coughing frequently can have many underlying causes including bronchitis. This illness usually occurs in the tubes that carry air to your lungs become infected and swollen and this can cause a severe cough. And usually, this unpleasant cough is accompanied by mucus and bad breath.14. A sour or bitter taste
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If you are suffering from chronic bad breath, you might be able to taste it, and it probably tastes as unpleasant and foul as it smells. Some chronic sufferers of bad breath say that they can often taste a sour or bitter flavor in their mouths which could be a sign of gingivitis.15. Sinus infections
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If you have a sinus infection, you are probably experiencing symptoms including sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose, and it can be really uncomfortable. And when you have a sinus infection, the sinus releases mucus which drains into the back of the throat and has a foul odor.16. Indigestion or acid reflux
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Believe it or not but you can actually get bad breath when you suffer from indigestion or acid reflux. But the good news is that this can be remedied by a few habit and lifestyle changes such as waiting up to three hours after eating before you lie down and eating little and often.17. Hoarse voice
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You may experience hoarseness in your voice if you suffer from any of these symptoms including acid reflux, sinus infections, and throat infections. And these, as we've found out, can often be accompanied by bad breath. You might not realize it, but a hoarse voice might be a sign that your breath has an unpleasant odor.18. Metallic or chemical taste
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Many unfortunate sufferers of bad breath report that they have a metallic or chemical taste in their mouths. Common causes of having a metallic taste in the mouth include gum disease, certain medications, colds and flu, infections, and even some cancer treatments like chemotherapy.19. Debris constantly stuck in teeth
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If you constantly have chunks of food or other debris stuck in your teeth, you might wish someone would mention it once in a while. But, unfortunately, it's certainly a sign that you're not flossing, and leaving it there can cause you all sorts of problems including gum disease and, you guessed it, bad breath!20. Persistent morning breath
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Now depending on what we might have eaten the night before, everyone has morning breath from time to time. It is just natural and it usually goes away once we've brushed our teeth and rehydrated. But if your morning breath is particularly bad or persistent then you've probably got a more chronic problem.21. Odor coming from the nose
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Our mouths and nose are connected and, usually, air that comes from the throat can be expelled through the mouth and through the nostrils too. So it's pretty obvious that the odor that is coming from your mouth is also coming through your nose too. So if you do shut your mouth in company and breath through your nose, it's probably not making much difference.22. Not drinking enough water and feeling dehydrated
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If you're feeling dehydrated because you're not drinking enough fluids, mainly water, you're probably experiencing a number of uncomfortable symptoms including headaches, digestive problems, dry skin, and a dry mouth. It is also likely that you have bad breath too.23. Chronic illnesses or medical conditions
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Chronic illnesses or medical conditions can also be the causes of your bad breath. These can include chronic inflammation in the nose, sinuses, or throat, some cancers, and certain metabolic disorders too. And bad breath can be a symptom of the illness or condition or the medication used to treat it.24. Smoking or tobacco use
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Smoking and the use of tobacco are also huge contributors to bad breath. This is not just because of the smoking itself, which can certainly cause an odor as the smell of the cigarette smoke lingers but also because of the illnesses caused including gum disease.25. Alcohol or dr*g use
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Alcohol or dr*g use, particularly certain dr*gs that people might rub on their teeth, and bad breath have been closely linked. And when a person drinks too much alcohol, much of this, 90% in fact, is converted in our bodies to acetic acid, and that's what causes bad breath.26. Regularly avoiding social interactions
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A sure sign of you having bad breath might be when friends and acquaintances begin to avoid any kind of social interaction with you. They might not want to say why they're avoiding you because of the awkwardness of the situation so it's important to address your issues or speak to your pals if it's something you just cannot help.27. Family and friends making comments on your breath
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You might not be able to notice the odor coming from your mouth, especially if your sense of smell is restricted by a sinus infection, but you might find that those closest to you are using honesty as their best policy and discreetly pointing out your bad breath to you.28. People offering you mints
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Instead of making comments on your bad breath, people might start to offer you strong breath mints in their own attempt to neutralize the stench. And they're probably hoping that you'll take the hint and either speak to them about it or take steps to address it.29. Constantly using breath mints or gum
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You might already realize that your breath is far from smelling like a fresh meadow, so you might try to cover it up by using breath mints or by constantly chewing gum. But masking the odor is ineffective and only temporary so make sure you do your research to get to the root cause.30. Feeling self-conscious
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You might be more than aware of your bad breath and perhaps you've tried different ways of masking it or avoided getting too close to anyone. But even though it makes you feel self-conscious, there's absolutely no shame in getting help from your doctor or dentist to try to address the problem.31. Common types of bad breath and what causes them: tonsil breath
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If you're constantly suffering with bad breath, there can actually be a ton of health reasons causing it. Number one is tonsil breath, which is bad breath caused by tonsillitis or tonsil stones. Bad breath is one of the main symptoms of tonsil problems, so you might want to check the back of your mouth!32. Sinus breath
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Your sinuses and mouth are all connected, which means bad breath can also be caused by problems with your sinuses. You might have bacteria growth or an infection in your sinuses resulting in a less-than-pleasant mouth odor. This could be coupled with a sore throat and pain.33. Lung breath
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There are many different causes of bad breath relating to the lungs - which makes sense when we use our lungs to breath - which include lung infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis. Bad breath is also an early warning sign of lung cancer, so it's always worth getting checked out!34. Gut breath
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Your digestive system is going to pay a part in whether your breath smells squeaky clean or not, which is why compromised gut health could be a cause of bad breath. There are certain conditions which move air from the gut back up the throat, like acid reflux, that could result in a pong!35. Metabolic breath
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If you're on a low carb or keto diet, this can make your body burn fat to get energy, a process which then releases chemicals called ketones - and these chemicals can cause a smell in your mouth. It can actually be a smell similar to something fruity or nutty.36. Diabetes breath
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Those chemicals called ketones can also appear if you have diabetes. Because the body is not producing enough insulin, it can turn to burning fat instead which results in that fruity smelling chemical. So it's likely that 'sweet smelling breath' is something you'd encounter as a diabetic.37. Liver breath
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If you're having liver failure, whether early stages or late stages, this can actually cause bad breath - specifically, sweet-smelling and musty. This is because the body is trying to get rid of by-products of amino acid breakdown. But you can also have breath that smells like rotting eggs in relation to liver failure.38. Fish odor syndrome breath
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This doesn't sound pleasant, and that's because it's not - unless you're already an avid fish-eater and you're used to it anyway. Also known as trimethylaminuria, this syndrome can also cause a body odor like fish or rotten eggs, as well as breath. This is a genetic disorder that affects the body's ability to break down the nutrient, choline.39. Menstrual breath
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As if everything else related to menstruation wasn't annoying enough, you can also get bad breath as a result of that time of the month. This could be due to a lower saliva level in people who are menstruating, which can result in bad breath due to dry mouth and build up of bacteria.40. Drug breath
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A lot of medicines can result in bad breath as a side effect, and this is because many medications cause dry mouth. A lot of common medications have this side effect, such as medication for anxiety, depression, allergies or acne. It can help if you avoid anything else that can result in dry mouth, like caffeine.41. Halitophobia: fear of bad breath
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We know that a lot of fears are considered 'irrational', but there's actually a phobia of having bad breath, called halitophobia. People with this fear on a severe level can be so worried about having bad breath it can lead them to becoming withdrawn, avoiding certain foods or constant gum chewing.42. Smoker's breath
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It's no surprise that smoking can result in bad breath - and a very specific cigarette-smelling breath at that! Many smokers will have a quick cigarette and then chew a mint thinking it covers the smell, but ultimately it doesn't. Not only that, smoking can result in lack of saliva, which increases bad breath.43. Smelly food breath
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It's nothing new to learn that food like garlic and onion can cause bad breath, but you might be wondering why you have bad breath even when you ate garlic yesterday and have brushed your teeth a few times since! Well, smelly foods like onion and garlic - and especially raw garlic - are so potent that they can stick around for a while.44. Bad breath from poor dental hygiene
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Ultimately, if you're not keeping up with how often you should be brushing your teeth, flossing and using mouth wash, then over time you're going to have less-than-fresh breath. So if you've been having a bout of bad breath recently, think back to whether you've skipped a few brushes.45. Dry mouth
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As mentioned earlier, dry mouth can result in bad breath because you don't have saliva keeping everything in check. While dry mouth can be a symptom of a few other conditions, it can also be a condition in itself which can result in struggles with bad breath.46. Dental infections
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You might be suffering from bad breath as a result of a dental infection or two, which can be very hard to determine if you're not getting it checked out by your dentist. Some infections might be really obvious, of course, with pain and inflammation, but there might be things going on that you can't see.47. Postnasal drip
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Postnasal drip is an excessive buildup of mucus that lands at the back of your throat and builds, which can result in a sore throat, a bad cough and that feeling of being congested. This build up of mucus can then result in bad breath, especially because that mucus can sit and harden on the tonsils!48. Gastroesophageal reflux disease
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Also known as GERD, this condition is more severe than just general heartburn. GERD sees stomach acid repeatedly coming back up your throat, which can not only cause a struggle with bad breath because of the acid, but can also cause long term damage to the throat lining if not treated.49. Your best bet is to keep up with dental hygiene
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In dealing with bad breath, your best bet to understand what is going on is to keep up with your daily dental cleaning. Not only will this help prevent bad breath, but it's key in seeing if there's an underlying health issue going on. If you're brushing and flossing every day and you still have bad breath, that's your cue to get it checked out!50. Speak to a doctor for ongoing issues!
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If you're struggling with long-term bad breath no matter what you do, and you can't think of an obvious cause for it (you're not a smoker, you don't like garlic and you don't have dry mouth) then a doctor's visit is definitely on the cards, especially if your dentist has said your teeth are fine!What To Read Next
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