Bad breath usually does not cause alarm. Sure, it can turn out to be an annoying or embarrassing problem. But bad breath is completely harmless in most cases.
However, bad breath, if accompanied by other symptoms, could be the alarm bell of some diseases. Or, alternatively, a side effect of drugs. Here’s when you might want to talk to your doctor.
A cause of bad breath that not everyone knows
When you have foul-smelling breath, indigestion, poor oral hygiene, or a too-garlic-rich dinner are often blamed. After a heavy meal, in fact, it is worth checking if your breath really stinks thanks to an infallible method, and then resorting to grandma’s remedies for halitosis.
In most cases, halitosis is a passing annoyance. But, when the problem persists, it is necessary to investigate the causes. In particular, bad breath could be caused by xerostomia, or dry mouth. In this case, bad breath is accompanied by a decrease or absence of saliva, difficulty in speaking and swallowing, decayed teeth.
Unfortunately, dry mouth is a very common problem among the elderly. But what causes it?
Beware of bad breath, it could be a symptom of diseases but also a side effect of antihypertensives and other very common drugs
Sometimes the most unsuspected symptoms are actually the alarm bells of dangerous diseases. For example, the warning of two dangerous cancers could be a nuisance that many overlook.
The same can be said of bad breath associated with dry mouth. Even if infrequently, in fact, the absence of saliva could be due to systemic diseases, i.e. diseases that affect the whole body.
In particular, it could be:
- Sjögren’s syndrome;
- diabetes;
- HIV infection.
See your doctor as soon as possible if your eyes and skin are dry as well as your mouth. Other warning signs could be severe tooth decay, skin rashes, and joint pain.
However, it is much more common for dry mouth to be a side effect of medications. In fact, there are about 400 medicines that would reduce the production of saliva!
Among the very common drugs that cause this side effect we have:
- anxiolytics;
- antidepressants;
- antiemetics (against nausea and vomiting);
- antihistamines (against the symptoms of allergic reactions);
- antipsychotics;
- antispasmodic;
- antihypertensives (against high blood pressure);
- antiparkinsoniani;
- bronchodilators (against asthma and BCPO);
- decongestionanti;
- diuretics;
- opiates (meperidine, methadone and others).
Some cancer chemotherapy medicines, such as radiation to the head and neck, can also cause dry mouth.
In any case, the advice is to talk to your doctor about this disorder. This is the only way to identify the cause and find a way to solve or control dry mouth and bad breath. So beware of bad breath, it could be a symptom of some health problems.
Deepening
This delicious sauce is a natural remedy for bad breath