Seeking Medical Assistance for Bad Breath
If you have bad breath that won’t go away and you can’t figure out why, or you have bad breath along with a health ailment, then you should consult a physician.
Let your physician know about your recurring bad breath and what you’ve been doing to combat it. The physician will ask you some questions. Some of the questions asked will be:
What kind of odor or smell does your breath have? Fishy? Fruity? Funky? Alcohol?
Do you eat spicy foods on a regular basis?
Are you a smoker?
Have you been practicing good oral hygiene?
What kind of remedies have you tried for your bad breath?
Are you having problems with your dental hygiene?
Do you have any allergies, sinus problems, sore throat, etc.
What other health issues are you experiencing?
Your physician will examine you. This will include checking your mouth and your nose. With a sore throat or mouth sores, they will need to get a culture.
Sometimes, they may order more tests to include:
Chest x-ray
Abdomen x-ray
Endoscopy
Testing (blood) for diabetes or renal (kidney) failure
If you have to see a dentist, they will check your mouth to see what’s going on. In order to do that, your dentist may use an instrument to test for bad breath. One instrument that they use is called the halimeter.
A halimeter is a machine that records a reading of your breath using a tube. You blow into the tube as you would a breathalyzer machine. If you suspect that you have bad breath or chronic halitosis, your dentist may have you test your breath on a regular basis.
The dentist can also determine what is actually causing you to have bad breath. Some of them include hydrogen sulfide and dimethyl sulfide. When you know what chemicals are causing your unfortunate dilemma, you can make changes to what you do on a daily basis.
As your dentist sees what enzymes and chemicals are in your breath, they will be able to provide the proper treatment for your condition. The downside to these tests is that they can only be performed at the dentist’s office.
In addition to the halimeter, your dentist may use other testing, such as gas chromatography and the BANA test, just to name a few.
