Fecal breath odor

Bad breath is a symptom that signals the presence of some health problem. It has a great impact on the quality of life, especially in the social sphere. The unpleasant smell can be so pronounced that it makes it almost impossible to communicate with people at close range. The smell can vary from just “bad breath” to a foul smell of feces from the mouth.

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Causes fecal odor

With systematic overeating, eating food with a specific aroma (wild garlic, garlic, onion) an unpleasant smell from the mouth often occurs. But if after several days the smell still remains, then perhaps this is a symptom of a disease, the treatment of which should begin as soon as possible. The most common reasons for which the presence of bad breath may be felt:

• gastrointestinal diseases;
• pathologies and chronic infections of the nasopharynx or upper respiratory tract;
• tuberculosis;
• dental problems (caries, gingivitis, periodontal disease, etc.);
• disturbances in the functioning of the glands that produce salivary fluid;
• when the microbiological balance in the oral cavity changes and fungal flora is added (dysbiosis, aphthous stomatitis);
• bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking).

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Symptoms fecal odor

Smell of feces from the mouth of a child

The smell of feces from the mouth of a child mainly indicates diseases of the nasopharynx, less often of severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, excretory, respiratory systems or other organs. In the chronic course of the disease, toxic substances accumulate in the bloodstream. They are not removed from the body naturally (through the biliary or urinary systems), but enter the respiratory system. Through it, they leave the body, giving the exhaled air a corresponding smell.

Medicines (antibiotics and hormones), spicy foods can be the cause of severe miasma from the mouth. After stopping taking the medication or spicy food, the smell disappears in about a day.

The most common cause of bad breath in children is the rapid growth of putrefactive bacteria in the mouth.

Conditionally pathogenic flora is always present in small quantities on the oral mucosa. Under certain circumstances (reduced secretion of saliva, errors associated with hygienic cleaning of teeth, problems with teeth, gums, tonsils, etc.), pathogenic bacteria and yeast fungi begin to multiply intensively. Throughout their life, they produce volatile organic sulfur compounds that have a specific odor.

Plaque on the tongue, purulent and mucous formations on the adenoids and tonsils create a good environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Saliva helps to wash out pathogenic bacteria, destroy their membranes with miramidase and interferon. If a child has a pronounced lack of salivary fluid and dry mouth appears, then this is also a provoking factor for the reproduction of pathogenic bacterial microflora.

In a child, the following are the reasons that provoke an unpleasant smell from the mouth:

• caries,
• periodontitis;
• inflammatory processes in the mouth;
• tonsillitis, adenoiditis;
• decreased salivation;
• improper oral hygiene.

If you notice an unpleasant odor in your child, it is advisable to pay attention to the condition of the teeth and gums, as well as the presence of diseases. You can examine the oral cavity yourself. For more accurate diagnostics and therapy, you should contact a dentist. To exclude diseases of the nasopharynx, it is advisable to contact an otolaryngologist or pediatrician.

If no pathologies are detected, then you should pay close attention to how well the child performs oral hygiene procedures. It may be necessary to adjust the meal schedule and decide on a diet.

It is important to remember:

Foods containing a large amount of protein (meat, dairy products) contribute to an increased concentration of sulfur compounds, which causes bad breath.

Drinks with a lot of sugar and caffeine, when they enter the body, create a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria.

Baked goods and sweet dishes contribute to the formation of plaque in the mouth.

Raw vegetables and fruits, which contain large amounts of fiber and require thorough chewing, cleanse the oral cavity, increase the secretion of saliva and create an unfavorable level of acidity for pathogenic bacteria.

In children under one year of age who are bottle-fed, improper dilution of milk formulas can cause bad breath.

According to the conducted research, most pathogenic cultures live in the gingival space. It is recommended to thoroughly (morning and evening) clean the root of the tongue, and not just the teeth and gums. After finishing a meal, it is necessary to rinse your mouth thoroughly.

A mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide (1 teaspoon of 3% solution per half a glass of water) reduces the harmful effects of bacteria in the mouth. This procedure can be performed on children from the age of three.

Insufficient salivation of the salivary glands can contribute to increased growth and development of bacteria.

You can stimulate the amount of saliva secreted in the following way:

• Drinking enough fluids according to age.
• Maintaining cool and humid air in the room where the child is located.
• To increase salivation, it is recommended to hold a piece of lemon in your mouth several times a day, drink acidified water or cool tea.
• Chewing gum will help increase salivation, of course, in reasonable quantities.

Stool odor from the mouth with dysbacteriosis

The smell of feces from the mouth can appear as a result of the following diseases: dysbacteriosis, gastrointestinal neurosis, intestinal obstruction.

Dysbacteriosis is an imbalance of intestinal microflora. Instead of lactic acid bacteria, it is populated by pathogenic bacteria in large quantities - intestinal and pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as pathogenic staphylococci. They inhibit the development of beneficial microflora, cause hypo- and autominosis, impaired absorption of micro- and macroelements, weaken the body's defenses. With intestinal dysbiosis, lactic acid products, cereals, boiled meat and fish are indicated. Stomach neuroses are usually caused by stressful situations, nervousness, poor nutrition and untimely food intake. Violations are manifested by burning and cramping pain in the abdomen. The most effective treatment for such neurological disorders is adequate sleep, refusal from tonic drinks, healthy and timely nutrition.

Diagnostics fecal odor

Often people cannot understand that they have bad breath, simply because they do not feel it due to habit. There are a number of methods that will help determine the presence of bad breath:

• The most reliable method is to use a special device that detects chemicals that cause bad breath;
• Exhale into your palms;
• Use of dental floss (after cleaning the spaces between teeth, smell the floss);
• The opinion of relatives and friends regarding the exhaled odor;
• Coating on the tongue.

Complaints from patients about unpleasant breath odor should be treated with a grain of salt, especially if they are based solely on their observations. Strong arguments are the stories of patients in response to direct reproaches about their unpleasant breath from people around them.

It is necessary to clarify the systematic nature of the unpleasant odor (occurring episodically or constantly present). Find out the reasons for which the smell of feces from the mouth occurs - it is felt immediately after waking up and disappears soon; breath is freshened after eating; the smell appeared with the beginning of taking medications.

It is necessary to conduct a test of the smell of the gas mixture, on exhalation. If there is no smell, it can be said that the patient most likely has pseudohalitosis (halitophobia). If a clear smell is felt, a study of the chemical composition and an assessment of the intensity is necessary.

Halitox test (ALT, Inc). This test has the ability to analyze the tongue coating for the presence of substances that cause fecal odor from the mouth - volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) and polyamines. To conduct the test, you will need: a bottle with a special medium, indicators, a sterile applicator with a cotton tip. The study is recommended to be carried out 4 hours after the last meal. The material for the study is taken with an applicator from the middle third of the tongue. Place it in a hermetically sealed test tube to prevent the loss of VSC. After 120 seconds, begin a color assessment of the change in the medium in the test tube. In the case of the presence of VSC, the previously colorless medium acquires a cloudy yellow-brownish tint. The more toxic compounds, the darker the color.

Instrumental diagnostics

Instrumental diagnostics of fecal odor from the mouth in the laboratory includes various methods and hardware studies to assess the strength of the odor.

Before testing, it is necessary to eliminate temporary or controllable causes of bad breath (food, medicines, tobacco, etc.), but with the preservation of natural biotopes of the oral cavity associated with halitosis (plaque on the tongue, teeth, etc.). In the exhaled gas mixture, random changes in the concentration of volatile compounds are often found, so repeated tests are performed several times.

Organoleptic test of exhaled air odor. With this method, specialists can evaluate the smell of air on the exhalation of the patient. When conducting the test, the patient and the laboratory technician must comply with certain requirements to obtain a reliable result.

The advantage of the organoleptic test is that it provides a comprehensive idea of the smell of the air exhaled by the patient. According to most experts, this method is considered the main one in diagnosing halitosis. This method does not require expensive equipment or special diagnostic equipment, so it is widely used in practice. The disadvantages of testing are: negative attitude of patients and subjectivity of the result (the accuracy of the assessment of the strength of the smell largely depends on the specialist's sense of smell, environmental conditions - humidity, air temperature in the room, etc.).

Sulfide monitoring. To perform it, special electrochemical gas-sensor equipment is needed, which detects the presence of hydrogen sulfide. The device is connected to a recording device, which produces a graphic result - a halogram.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry provides a detailed picture of the LSS quantities in the exhaled gas mixture, capturing the smallest concentrations. A significant disadvantage of this method is its high price.

The artificial "nose" is a device that consists of electrochemical sensors and includes an automated complex controlled by a computer. The indicators have a fairly strong "sensitivity" to the concentration of LSS in exhaled air.

To determine the causes of halitosis, a saliva analysis for LSS is informative. Natural fluid from the oral cavity is required - fresh and incubated in anaerobic conditions with a temperature of 37 ° C for 3-6 hours. When conducting studies with preliminary incubation of saliva, more accurate readings are obtained than when using fresh salivary fluid.

Analysis of saliva and plaque makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy and prevention to eliminate fecal odor from the mouth.

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Differential diagnosis

Of great importance in differential diagnostics is the distinction between halitosis (oral and extraoral). If an unpleasant odor is noted during oral exhalation, and nasal air is clean, then it is concluded that the odor is localized in the oral cavity.

If testing confirms that the odor is of extraoral origin, the patient is advised to consult with the appropriate specialists.

When establishing oral halitosis, it is necessary to determine its nature, associated with either physiological or pathological processes. In the differential diagnosis of extraoral and oral halitosis, hardware determination of the chemical composition of exhaled air is used.

Treatment fecal odor

The treatment of this unpleasant symptom will depend on what caused the smell of feces from the mouth. Any identified diseases require consultation and treatment from the appropriate specialists. Having eliminated the main causes and cured the disease that provokes bad breath, it is necessary to restore the healthy microflora of the oral cavity.

If the source of halitosis is only the oral cavity, then it is necessary to eliminate the causes of its occurrence as soon as possible and undergo a course of professional oral cleaning.

Reducing the activity of pathogenic microflora is possible with the use of antiseptic substances made from chemical or natural ingredients.

Mouthwashes eliminate fecal odor from the mouth for a while when used in combination with a toothbrush and floss.

Mouthwashes work thanks to active ingredients that help eliminate bacteria and neutralize their waste products. The following substances provide this property to elixirs:

• Chlorine dioxide, having an oxidizing effect, reduces the number of bacteria in the oral cavity;
• zinc - inhibits the production of sulfur compounds by bacteria, reduces their concentration;
• Triclosan – helps suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the mouth.

Oral rinses, lozenges, tablets, sprays, and chewing gum are not effective in combating bad breath when used as the only independent means of combating halitosis. A set of measures to eliminate fecal odor from the mouth is required.

The above mentioned products stimulate the secretion of the salivary glands. Saliva cleanses the oral cavity from pathogenic flora and its waste products, freshening the breath. Mint candies and tablets contain surfactants that destroy the presence of sulfur compounds for a short time.

Antibacterial toothpastes. The spread of bacteria in the oral cavity that cause bad breath is prevented by toothpastes containing substances with an antibacterial effect. Particular attention should be paid to cleaning the tongue - it also contains a large number of bacteria that are the source of halitosis.

Folk remedies

If a person is constantly haunted by the smell of feces from the mouth, using folk remedies it can be made less pronounced. If there is halitosis, you should still consult a doctor to exclude pathologies requiring treatment.

Rinsing with vegetable oil. In the morning on an empty stomach, rinse your mouth with unrefined vegetable oil (1 teaspoon). Duration of the procedure is 8-10 minutes. Then rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth in the usual way. Repeat for 2-4 weeks every day.

Rinsing with oak bark. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tablespoons of crushed oak bark, simmer for a quarter of an hour, leave for 10 minutes and strain. Use the decoction to rinse your mouth at least 3-5 times a day.

To remove the smell that occurs when eating food with a specific aroma, you can chew a walnut kernel, parsley root or coffee bean for several minutes.

St. John's wort tincture for oral administration. 1 tablespoon of St. John's wort herb is poured with ½ liter of vodka, infused for a week in a dark place, with the lid closed, then filtered. 40 drops of tincture are diluted with 1 glass of water. The intake is divided into morning and evening, over seven days.

Research has shown that magnolia bark is also effective in eliminating pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity, which cause bad breath.

A raw apple will give fresh breath in any situation.

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Treatment of fecal odor from the mouth with herbs

Rinsing the mouth with herbal infusions is recommended.

Witch hazel - pour three tablespoons of flowers with a cup (250 ml) of boiling water, leave for an hour, then strain and rinse your mouth.

Mint - add 1 tablespoon of dried mint leaves or a handful of fresh mint leaves to 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for an hour, filter and rinse the mouth.

Wormwood – pour a glass of boiling water over two teaspoons of wormwood, let it sit for 20 minutes, strain and use to rinse your mouth.

Elixir of chamomile and sage. Mix equal amounts of dried chamomile flowers and sage leaves. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture, pour 1/2 cup of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain. Rinse your mouth with warm infusion after brushing your teeth and eating.

Homeopathy

If you have a bad smell from your mouth, the following medications will be helpful:

Nux vomica – for unpleasant morning odor due to overeating, flatulence, constipation. Recommended 6-8 granules or drops 3-4 times a day, the last dose half an hour before bedtime.

Sulphur – helps patients suffering from flatulence, nausea, heartburn. Take 6-8 granules or drops 2 times a day.

Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni – is used in the presence of diseases of the gums, tongue, a feeling of strong thirst; unpleasant odor from the mouth. The drug is prescribed in the presence of symptoms by a homeopathic doctor.

Prevention

The main preventive measure to prevent bad breath is to follow the rules of personal oral hygiene. It is necessary to clean the teeth, tongue, and inner surface of the cheeks. The spaces between the teeth must be cleaned with floss.

Nutrition is an important element in preventing bad breath. The diet should include fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods.

Regular visits to specialists who can detect the initial stage of internal organ disease are one of the significant factors in prevention that prevents fecal odor from the mouth.

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