Drugs and Bad Breath

There are various factors that cause an offensive odor on the breath - when it comes to drugs and bad breath, there can be both a direct and indirect relationship between cause and effect. First of all, a number of prescription drugs result in a rather chemical flavor and odor to the breath, particularly immediately after a medication has been taken orally. The best course in these cases is to wait it out - the effect generally fades with time - or mask it with breath mints until it passes. If it is so bothersome and offensive that waiting it out is not an option, discuss alternate medications with your physician.

The other way that drugs cause bad breath is generally by interfering with the flow of saliva and thereby causing a dry mouth. This is important, because saliva has many functions in keeping the mouth healthy. Saliva continually flushes the tissues in the oral cavity, carrying away bacteria, debris, shed skin cells etc. This, in turn, reduces the amount of offensive sulfur compounds produced in the mouth by bacteria breaking down proteins. Saliva also contains molecules and cells involved in immunity. These help to maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms in the oral cavity and fight off any invading organisms that might set up an infection or multiply to sufficient numbers to cause an odor. It's been well documented that a lack of saliva flushing the mouth is sometimes due to drugs and bad breath is often the result.

A number of common drugs cause bad breath: antihistamines, certain antidepressants, antiparkinson drugs, drugs for high blood pressure, diuretics and antipsychotic drugs have all been implicated, as well as some others. Patients undergoing anticancer therapy often suffer from dry mouth as well, as a result of their treatment. Patients who suspect that they are dealing with a combination of drugs and bad breath should consult their health care practitioner. It's not a good idea to stop taking a prescription without medical advice because that drug might be important to good health. It may be, however, that there is an alternative drug available, or there may be strategies to combat the drying effect in the mouth. Bear in mind that the best solution in this case is likely to be something that increases moisture in the mouth rather than a mouthwash or breath mint that simply masks the odor (remember, too, that some mouthwashes contain alcohol, an ingredient that will only add to mouth dryness).

Bad breath usually results from the growth and metabolic byproducts of anaerobic bacteria that live in the mouth. In a case of drugs and bad breath, the direct cause is the same - bacteria - but unlike many other cases, here, the indirect cause, or underlying cause, is easier to identify. This can make it an easier problem to deal with as well. If the offending drug has to be continued long term and no other solution has been identified, the long term solution to bad breath will probably be regular use of a mouthwash that targets the odor producing bacteria. Fortunately, there are a number of good products on the market today that can help. There's no doubt that some drugs cause bad breath, but it's also true that our understanding of halitosis and our knowledge of ways to prevent are increasing all the time.