Definition of Breath odor:

Breath odor is the scent of the air you breathe out of your mouth. Unpleasant, distinctive, or offensive breath odor is commonly called bad breath.

Considerations:

Some disorders will produce specific, characteristic odors to the breath.

A fruity odor to the breath occurs as the body attempts to get rid of excess acetone through the breathing. This is a sign of ketoacidosis, which may occur in diabetes. It is a potentially life-threatening condition.

Breath that smells like feces can occur with prolonged vomiting, especially when there is a bowel obstruction. It may also occur temporarily if a person has a tube placed through the nose or mouth to the stomach to drain the stomach contents (nasogastric tube) in place.

The breath may have an ammonia-like odor (also described as urine-like or "fishy") in people with chronic kidney failure.

Common Causes:

If previously normal breath turns into halitosis, causes could include:

• Abscessed tooth
• Alcoholism
• Cavities
• Dentures
• Drugs
  • Paraldehyde
  • Triamterene and inhaled anesthetics
  • Insulin - injection
• Food or beverages consumed (such as cabbage, garlic, raw onions, or coffee)
• Foreign body in the nose (usually in children)
  • Often (but not always) there is a white, yellowish, or bloody discharge from one nostril
• Gum disease (gingivitis, gingivostomatitis)
• Impacted tooth
• Lung infection
• Poor dental hygiene
• Sinusitis
• Throat infection
• Tobacco smoking
• Vitamin supplements (especially in large doses)

• Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
• Acute necrotizing ulcerative mucositis
• Acute renal failure
• Bowel obstruction (can cause breath to smell like feces)
• Bronchiectasis
• Chronic renal failure (can cause breath to smell like ammonia)
• Diabetes (fruity or sweet chemical smell with ketoacidosis)
• Esophageal cancer
• Gastric carcinoma
• Gastrojejunocolic fistula (fruity-smelling breath)
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Lung abscess
• Ozena, or atrophic rhinitis
• Periodontal disease
• Pharyngitis
• Zenker's diverticulum