Unusual Odor in Mouth

We all worry about our breath and most of us experience an unusual odor in mouth from time to time. Very often, however, the problem is not the classic bad breath that we fear. Many things will cause a strange taste or an odd smell in the mouth and most of these are temporary.

Foods will often cause a strange mouth odor. Garlic is very well known for this and people who love the taste of garlic in food will accept the temporary consequences of eating it. Another familiar cause of unusual odor in mouth is coffee – morning breath turns to coffee breath for millions of people all over the world. Again, it will pass. Onions, cheese, and some spices are other culprits. If the smell or taste is too bothersome, we brush our teeth and pop a breath mint or stick of gum in our mouth.

Smoking also typically creates an unusual odor in mouth and on the breath. Smokers usually don’t notice it, but it is one of the things that makes others, particularly spouses, object to the smoking habits of others. If you smoke regularly, the mouth odor caused by tobacco never really goes away.

Sometimes, a funny taste or odor shouldn’t be ignored. An unusual odor in mouth can be a sign of sickness. Diseases that are well known for producing a smell on the breath include diabetes (in cases of ketoacidosis), strept throat, liver or kidney disease, and malignancies (cancer) of the upper airways. Many other conditions can produce an unfamiliar taste and mouth odor, including pregnancy. These tastes and smells, however, are usually different from those associated with typical bad breath. A doctor can help sort out the source of a persistent unusual odor in mouth.

Finally, some drugs are known to affect taste and cause unfamiliar smells on the breath. A drug may affect sensory perception, so that the person taking the drug perceives a mouth odor that is not detected by others. In these cases, it is the sense of smell or taste that is affected, not the mouth air. At other times, a drug can actually produce an unusual odor in mouth, but it is generally unfamiliar rather than offensive.

Obviously, before bad breath can be treated, it’s important to determine whether there really is a mouth odor, and what is causing it. Some cases of bad breath will go away on their own, while some require medical treatment for another problem. Sometimes an unusual odor in mouth is best handled with breath mints, and if the problem really is in the mouth, an effective over the counter or natural remedy may help.