How to Deal with Bad Breath Caused by Sinusitis

Having a regular bout with sinusitis is already handful enough to deal with, but what if it is coupled with bad breath? That certainly makes things worse.

Why You Experience Bad Breath When You Have Sinusitis

Most people fail to make the connection between their sinusitis and their bad breath. They don’t know that bad breath is, in fact, a lesser-known secondary symptom of sinusitis. Here’s why having sinusitis leads to bad breath:

Whenever your sinuses are packed with fluids, it leads to swelling and infection. It also leads to the accumulation of mucus in the nasal cavities, causing the foul smell.

When the cavities get clogged, the mucus is forced to travel down the back of the nose and throat instead. The excess mucus leaves behind a trail of a white or yellowish film, creating an ideal breeding ground for bad breath-causing bacteria to multiply.

Mouth breathing is also another cause of bad breath. When the sinuses are clogged with mucus, the tendency is to breathe through one’s nose during night time. Mouth breathing dries out the saliva, which is important in keeping the oral cavity healthy and clean. The absence of saliva results to dry mouth, which in turn results to bad breath.

Treatment of Bad Breath Caused by Sinusitis

Drinking plenty of water helps thin out the mucus build up in your sinuses, making it easier to drain. Frequent gargling with warm water and salt as well as tongue scraping also help prevent bad breath.

However, these measures are only temporary. If you want to get rid of bad breath permanently, you need to treat the underlying medical condition, which is sinusitis.

You can treat acute sinusitis with saline nasal sprays and over-the-counter decongestants. You can also use antihistamines if your sinusitis is triggered by an allergy, or antibiotics if it is bacterial in nature.

The top allergy testing Los Angeles has to offer is available at our clinic.

How a Balloon Sinuplasty Can Help

For chronic sinusitis, it is recommended that you visit a ENT Specialist for a more aggressive treatment. A balloon sinuplasty procedure may be recommended by your doctor. This is a minimally invasive surgery offered here at the Los Angeles Sinus Institute. During the procedure, I place a balloon inside the nose using a catheter. The balloon is then inflated to expand the nasal cavities, and saline is sprayed to flush out all the pus and mucus that have accumulated.

A typical balloon sinuplasty procedure lasts in less than an hour. It’s fast recovery times allow my patients to go back to work the following day.

Seek Professional Help for Halitosis

The causes of halitosis are diverse, and so are its treatment options. If you have bad breath even though you observe regular dental hygiene, I would recommend making an appointment with your dentist for a more thorough checkup. You can also see a doctor, determine if it is an underlying symptom of a more serious medical condition.