Serious Underlying Health Conditions That Can Lead to Halitosis

All of us will experience some kind of bad breath in our lifetime, and some of us will experience halitosis on a regular, even daily, basis. Halitosis, most commonly referred to as bad breath, is one of the most common oral conditions to be found in the spectrum of human conditions. Fortunately, most cases of halitosis are very temporary, and usually you can chalk them up to an especially pungent meal. In some cases, halitosis can be a sign that something is wrong. That is, chronic halitosis may be indicative of a more serious underlying medical problem. How do you know if your halitosis is serious? Here are some ideas on how you can find out if you are perhaps experiencing halitosis as a result of a more serious underlying medical problem.

The Dreaded Underlying Cause – Finding Out the Source of Your Chronic Halitosis

There are many kinds of oral conditions that can cause chronic halitosis. More commonly, oral conditions that can cause chronic halitosis include tonsilitis, periodontal disease (gum disease), rhinitis, ozena and chronic sinusitis. By far, the most common serious underlying condition is periodontal disease, which is related to chronic gingivitis. In most cases, if the patient treats these conditions they will experience much better health. Other underlying medical conditions that can also cause chronic bad breath may include diabetes mellitus, xerostomia, and oral candidiasis (which can come about as a result of AIDS).

Vitamin Deficiencies – How They Can Cause Chronic Halitosis

Some research studies have also indicated that chronic halitosis may also be a result of vitamin deficiencies. Chronic vitamin or mineral deficiencies have been linked to patients who suffer from halitosis. The most important vitamins and minerals that have been linked to chronic halitosis include Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, and the important minerals Zinc and Iron. In most cases, these vitamin deficiencies are a result of a known underlying medical condition. What sort of serious underlying medical conditions cause chronic halitosis? These conditions include stomatitis, cancers, and glossitis. There are many common cancers that can produce chronic halitosis. These include oral tumors and pharyngeal.

Chronic Halitosis Can Also Be Caused By Systematic Conditions

Chronic halitosis can also be caused by a number of other serious and systematic medical conditions. Fortunately, many of these systematic conditions can be treated and controlled with regular medical attention. Some of these systematic medical conditions include diabetes mellitus, nasal and sinus etiologies, gastric etiologies and trimethylaminuria. If you suspect that your chronic halitosis is caused by some kind of systematic or underlying chronic medical condition, contact your medical doctor. It is important that you get diagnosed as early as possible.

Chances are that there will be a substantial waiting period from getting tested to getting diagnosed to getting treatment. If you are waiting to get treatment for an underlying medical treatment, there are many things that you can do in order to keep the bad breath at bay. You will want to follow excellent oral hygiene, including flossing and perhaps even tongue scraping to get rid of as much bacteria as possible.