Bad Breath In Throat

Bad Breath in Throat

Do people flinch when you exhale? Or do you notice people leaning away from you during conversations?

Bad breath is an often embarrassing condition to have. Indeed, nothing fits the "social kill" picture than bad breath. Yet, not many people with bad breath are even aware they have this problem. And those who are aware simply attribute it to something they ate. Nothing they couldn't get rid of with a little floss here and a little mouthwash there, right?

However, while most bad breath cases come from the mouth, bad breath may also emanate from the throat – or the back of the throat to be more precise – which usually means that the condition is serious.

Bad breath in throat is very rare since the bacteria that cause that rotten egg-smelling odor usually live in the mouth, not in the throat. The odor is actually caused by volatile sulfur compounds that are released by bacteria as they consume the food debris and particles left in your mouth. Sulfur compounds may also be released from the very food you ate, especially if these foods are high in sulfur, like garlic and cabbage.

Now, if the odor seems to be coming from the throat, then the bad breath could be caused by something besides the bacteria in your mouth. Bad breath could originate in one of several places: the sinuses, the lungs, or the throat itself.

Sinuses

Your sinuses contain nasal glands that regularly secrete mucus used to keep the nasal passages clean and clear. In conditions affecting the sinuses, such as sinusitis or allergic reactions, these glands could go on overdrive and produce too many secretions, resulting in post nasal drip – or that dripping feeling coming from the back of your throat. This causes bad breath in throat as the extra mucus accumulating in the back of the throat produce an unpleasant odor.

These conditions are more often than not temporary and treatable with the right medication from the doctor. Treating them should take care of bad breath in throat.

Lungs

Contrary to popular belief, the lungs do not release any bad odor. However, certain odorous substances that are absorbed into bloodstream may be carried on to the lungs and expelled when you breathe. These substances may be coming from the food you ate, especially foods that are highly rich in sulfur such as garlic and cabbages. The sulfur compounds get absorbed into the bloodstream and are then tided over to the lungs so that when you exhale, the odor is released as well.

Throat

Although extremely rare, bad breath in throat may also be caused by problems with the throat itself. Disorders such as tonsillitis could cause bad breath in throat. Food particles in the mouth may infect the tonsils, causing bacteria to release odorous substance leading to bad breath in throat.