Moth Ball Breath

[brendag]

What causes moth ball smelling breath in a 50 year old man?

[OohCheeky]

Hi,

I have had the same problem for 5 years.  the smell is also in my faeces.  I have had a breath test its not in my mouth, its coming from my gut.  Its worse when my tummy is empty.  I wonder if you have solved this problem?  I am having stool tests at the moment to see if they show anything up.  What have you done?

[lisathinks]

I am not a diabetic, and the only medication I have been on for years is Wellbutrin (anti-anxiety/anti-depressant).  That med never caused my "mothball breath";  I only started getting it shortly after I began taking probiotics!!  I heard that probiotics are supposed to help bad breath.  Maybe I have toxins that are being released as a result of the probiotics, and so until that happens, I will have this breath?  Also, I see a dentist regularly, have good mouth/dental hygiene, and don't have sinus infections that correspond with the breath (a sinus infection, in my experience, causes a different kind of bad breath).

Anyway, has anyone else had the experience of starting on probiotics and then experiencing the mothball breath??  Thanks.

[TKBomb]

YES! I made a connection to adding probiotics and their reaction with simple carbs. Caused putrefaction in my husband's gut. Worst breath- like poop and mothballs. Can fill a room! Removing simple carbs from the diet stops feeding the gut bacteria, and the gut flora will adjust accordingly. May take several months, though. Slow digestion keeps food in the gut longer, and the good bugs begin breaking things down in the stomach instead of the intestines. To speed digestion, add acid. Betain HCl is a good way to start. Do a little research and give it a try. Again, it takes several months. In the meantime, chew a piece of gum for 1/2 hour after every meal. Swallowing saliva keeps "gut rot" down while the food has a chance to digest and move out of the stomach.

[Jkick626]

Check ammonia levels....liver functions

[nflgirl]

I'm 48 and just in that last 10 days started having moth ball breath. What changed in the last 10 days you ask, Lipitor! I started taking it 2 weeks ago and within 4 days started having moth ball breath. It is a clue!

[liza636]

I have had chronic mothball breath since in my 20's...I am now in my 40's and still haven't solved it.  Tried tongue scraper and getting tested for h.pylori stomach bacteria which came back negative.  It has definitely affected my self-esteem, I am always afraid if I speak I will offend people, so afraid to talk out loud unless around family.  There must be a doctor out there somewhere who can shed some light on this.

[TKBomb]

My husband suffers from this. We spent $$$ to no avail. (No cavities, gum disease, sinus infections, tonsil stones, etc.) Smell comes from his gut, so we thought it might be putrefaction. He cut out grains and sugar for a few months and smell was gone. When he resumed a regular diet of grains (bread, oats, rice, etc.), smell came back. So it has to do with gut bacteria and breakdown of simple carbs. Adding probiotics did not help. Cutting out grains and sugar did. Hope this helps.  

[April555]

I'm a 24 year old woman with the same issue, but I'm not on any meds and I brush my teeth twice a day. It comes and goes but its awfully concerning. I do have chronic sinus issues but only in the winter and the 'mothball breath' happens no matter the season.