Bad Breath

[cob90]

Hello, i always had a bad breath, tried to go to the dentist and i was told that my teeth was fine and its all right in there, so i checked my stomech and was diagnosed with the h.pylori bacteria. so is there a strong posible that Bad breath can be from this bacteria ?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

I am not aware of a specific connection between bad breath and H Pylori.

I agree that a dental evaluation be done.  There are also some rheumatological diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome that can predispose the mouth the bad breath.

If this is suspected, blood tests can be done to exclude this possibility.  

If the H Pylori test is positive, then appropriate treatment should be discussed, including antibiotic therapy.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin Pho, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com
www.twitter.com/kevinmd

[cob90]

alright doctor thanks alot, but which blood test should i do to determine that, also what is your advises for me to try and make test for my bad breath problem

[mifegr]

Make sure that you take the antibiotic that the dr perscribes for the h.pylori.  After taking it, when your done with the entire bottle, go to the grocery store and buy a yogurt called, "Activia."  Antibiotics kill the bad bacteria (h. plori) but also kill the good bacteria too.  Sometimes, when the bad bacteria gets out of hand, a persons breath will be bad.  So you want to make sure you eat Activia every day for a few months after taking the antibiotic.  Hopefully, the Activia will also help you to have normal, healthy, bowel movements.  I am a nutritionist.  I have treated patients who have bad breath.  Sometimes it is due to lactose intolerance.  So, after taking the Activia for a few months, if your breath is still bad, try cutting out everything made from dairy products.  Drink soy milk instead of cow's milk.  Do this for at least a week and see if it helps.  Also, you should have 1 normal, healthy, bowel movement every single day.  That means a bowel movement that is the size and shape of your colon, at least 2 feet.  If your not having 1 normal, healthy bowel movement each day, this could be causing bad breath.  Also, not having enough good, healthy, probiotic bacteria in the gut can cause bad breath.  Try this things and if they don't help, go see a holistic doctor.  Good luck!