Odd smell

I have suffered from this embarrasing and humiliating condition for years. At first, I thought I have bad breath. So, I made sure I saw the dentist twice a year for cleaning and checkups. No problem there. I brush my teeth between 2 -4 times daily, clean my tounge every time I brush and floss at least once a day. My friends and family sometimes wonder why I brush so often. Nobody has ever told me I have bad breath but I get the 'message' when they rub their noses or put their fingers to their noses. I have lost deals and friends because of this. On occasions, my daughter informed me that my breath smells like rotten food, poop, or just weird, even after my teeth brushing regimen. I have noticed that things smell worser after meals. Garlic smells stick to me like super glue, so I try to avoid it as much as I can. I love spicy foods and try to eat healthy foods (fruits, veg, milk, eggs, etc.) everyday. My bowel movements have never been regular since childhood. I've tried yogurt, metamucil, greens, etc. to increase regularity but they only work if I eat alot of them EVERYDAY. I have not gone to see a gastroentrologist or talked with my primary doctor about this problem. I do not have any pains in my belly area, acid reflux, or discomfort. My dad had his gall bladder removed when he was in his 40s and my brother had his removed when he was around 27. What could be wrong with me? Thanks for any advice.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Bad,smelly breath is also called halitosis.Causes are stress,smoking or alcohol intake,nasopharyngeal infections like sinusitis,bronchitis,throat infections or infected tonsils,dehydration or less intake of water causing dry mouth,eating of certain foods,acid reflux from stomach,orodental problems and disorders of lungs or kidneys.

I feel that an examination by a physician will be the best to rule them out one by one and reach a confirmatory diagnosis.
Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.