9 Conditions Your Breath Can Reveal

Could lung cancer be a cause of bad breath? Pathologists normally perform biopsies and ultrasound scans to diagnose lung cancer, but using breath tests may be a cheaper, noninvasive alternative, according to one study. Researchers used a preprogrammed “electronic nose,” which detects different profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath, to examine breath samples from 475 subjects. The group included a mix of 252 lung cancer patients, 223 patients with different lung conditions and healthy volunteers, 265 smokers, and 210 nonsmokers.

They found that among the nonsmokers, the electronic nose accurately identified lung cancer in 128 subjects and misdiagnosed in only 5. Among smokers, the electronic nose correctly identified 114 people as having lung cancer, misdiagnosing 5.

What’s more, a study found that accuracy of breath tests to detect lung cancer continues to improve, thanks to the use of more specific VOCs.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic used a simple breath test to identify patients suffering from heart failure, according to a paper.

The researchers collected breath samples from 41 patients admitted into a hospital — 25 with severe heart failure and 16 with other heart-related problems. Researchers then used mass spectrometric technology to analyze the breath samples for molecular and chemical compound signs of heart failure. They were able to detect two volatile compounds, acetone and pentane, that were elevated in heart failure patients and were able to distinguish these patients from controls.

Research continues to evolve in this area. A newer study found that heart failure patients with higher levels of acetone of pentane were more likely to have adverse outcomes and death, compared to heart failure patients with lower levels, 33 months later.

Poorly managed diabetes can make you more susceptible to gum disease and dry mouth. When your blood sugar levels aren’t stable, your weakened body isn’t able to fight bacteria that can cause infections that harm the gums. These same infections cause bad breath.

A fruity breath odor or an odor similar to acetone (commonly used in nail polish remover) can also point to a serious complication in patients with diabetes called ketoacidosis, according to a study. When your body doesn’t have enough insulin, it instead uses fatty acids for energy, which produces acidic ketones. These acids can accumulate in your blood and lead to a diabetic coma or death.

Fishy breath isn’t always from seafood: A mouth that smells like fishy-odor urine, similar to ammonia, may indicate kidney failure.

The kidneys remove toxic chemicals from the blood by creating urine. In kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease, the kidneys become so damaged that they are no longer able to filter waste products and toxic chemicals from the blood. When this happens, the dangerous toxins and waste not discharged from your body accumulate and affect nearly every part of your body.

The fishy-breath odor can occur when kidney failure affects the respiratory system and causes breathing problems, according to a study.

Morning breath may seem normal after a night of sleeping. Saliva production decreases during sleep, which gives odor-producing bacteria an opportunity to multiply and grow.

But the slowed production of saliva during sleep can sometimes be caused by leaving your mouth open for long periods of time. People with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring may have trouble breathing through the nose and are more likely to breathe through their mouths, which is a cause of bad breath, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Digestive conditions such as acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are bad-breath causes. Both digestive conditions can delay or prevent food from processing efficiently in the stomach. When food doesn’t move through the digestive system, it can start to decay. Small amounts of undigested food may even regurgitate and cause bad breath. Dentists may also detect GERD in patients when they notice an inflamed red throat and acid erosion in the teeth.

But GERD isn’t the only digestive health issue that can affect your breath. One study suggests that the H. pylori bacteria that cause stomach ulcers can be a cause of bad breath.

Respiratory tract infections such as the flu, bronchitis, and sinusitis are common causes of bad breath. When respiratory tract infections break down or inflame the tissues in the respiratory system, it can trigger the production of bacteria-feeding cells and mucus.

Allergies and postnasal drip may also be what causes bad breath because these conditions tend to clog your nose. This nasal congestion may force you to breathe through your mouth, which can lead to dryness and the growth of bacteria that cause foul breath.

When the enamel on your teeth erodes, food particles can get deposited in those holes, called dental caries. Because brushing your teeth can’t remove these food deposits, they can eventually grow bacteria, which is what causes bad breath.

Gingivitis is another medical condition that causes bad breath. When your gums become inflamed with bacteria, it can result in severe pain and funky-smelling discharge.

Routine screening for stomach cancer in the United States is uncommon, largely because the current method — endoscopy — is invasive. But that may change with the development of breath-test technology called nanoarray analysis, which identifies the levels of certain compounds that are linked to stomach cancer.

In a study of 335 patients — 163 who had been diagnosed with oesophageal or gastric cancer — the breath test identified cancer from benign diseases with 85 percent accuracy.