Bad Breath from Stomach

In bad breath from the stomach, mouth odors originate from the digestive system. The cause of such kind of bad breath is odors rising from the digestive tract, especially from the stomach. Digestive enzyme deficiencies, situations that cause digestive insufficiency (for example, swallowing large bites), and food residues that we cannot digest due to various reasons in the digestive tract are odorized by bacteria, causing malodorous gases to form. These gases can create a bad odor in the mouth. They rise from the digestive tract to our mouth, especially with reflux, without burping.

Bad Breath from Stomach Causes

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Studies on volunteers whose stomachs are filled with carbon dioxide have shown that a certain amount of air leakage rises from the stomach upwards into the mouth while sitting. A certain amount of leakage in the valve between the stomach and esophagus is a normal and physiological condition. This amount of leakage reduces in the lying position. But for all these leaks to cause bad breath, the stomach must first smell. In other words, unless the stomach smells, this leakage will not cause an odor in the mouth.

Unusual Cause: Smelly Stomach + Gastroesophageal Reflux

Generally, when the cause of bad breath cannot be determined in the mouth, people think of the stomach as the second reason. This approach stems from the dominant view among people that the main source of it is the stomach. The stomach is taken as the main suspect as if the smell is coming from. But this is not true. For the smell which rises from the stomach to cause bad breath, the stomach must smell and at the same time, there must be reflux. But, bad breath caused by the combination of these two is very rare.

Smelly Farting (Flatulence)

When the patient burps or the air in his stomach comes into his mouth, he or at least the people around him should feel the smell of the air. The patient may normally have bad breath, but this smell will increase when he burps. In addition, stomach-related bad breath increases during satiety decreases or disappears during hunger. In other words, in these cases, bad breath occurs after eating.

Symptoms of Bad Breath from Stomach

Most people with stomach odor have gastroesophageal reflux complaints. In other words, these patients complain of conditions such as heartburn, bitter water in the mouth, or liquid in their mouth when lying down.

In patients whose stomach smells, bad breath decreases when they lie on their back. Because while lying on the back, the valve leakage between the stomach and the esophagus decreases physiologically, and the smell also decreases. However, since this valve can loosen in older people, more gases can rise from the stomach to the mouth. According to this, stomach-related bad breath is common in older people.

Diagnosis and Treatment

With the suspicion that bad breath originates from the stomach, patients apply to internal medicine doctors. Normally, gastroenterologists examine patients with these conditions. However, it would be healthier for these people to first meet with the dentist and confirm their suspicions about the origin of bad breath. Finally, breath-freshening products (especially, zinc-containing ones) such as mouthwash (eg, TheraBreath Plus Fresh Breath, Tom’s of Maine Natural Wicked Fresh, etc.) or chewing gum (eg, CB12 Boost Sugar Free, etc.) may provide symptomatic benefit for these people.