Sinus Infection And Bad Breath

Pain Or Pressure In Your Sinuses

Facial pain is a common symptom of sinusitis. You have several different sinuses above and below your eyes, as well as behind your nose. Any of these air-filled cavities can hurt when you have a sinus infection.

Inflammation and swelling can cause your sinuses to ache with dull pressure. This is because inflammation may alter the typical path of mucus from the nose to the back of the throat.

You may feel pain in:

• your forehead
• on either side of your nose
• in your upper jaws and teeth
• between your eyes

This may lead to a headache. Headaches caused by sinus infections can occur where the sinuses are or in other places.

Schedule An Appointment With Independence Ear Nose & Throat

At Independence Ear, Nose & Throat, we have the expertise and experience to diagnose your symptoms and prescribe the proper ear, nose, & throat treatment to make your life easier. All you have to do is call us today at 772-888-1880, and well book you an appointment with one of our hearing health professionals.

Nasal Polyps And Post Nasal Drip

Nasal polyps are soft, jelly-like overgrowths of the sinus lining that look like grapes on the end of a stalk. They do not always cause symptoms, but as they usually grow through the tunnel that connects the sinuses to the nose, they can cause a blocked nose. If the tunnel becomes too blocked, sinus infections can occur.

These infections can cause bad breath due to run-over of mucus post-nasal drip.

You May Like: What To Put On Infected Tooth

Sinus Breath: Bad Breath Causes And Sinuses

Bad breath can be caused by microbial build, growth or infections your sinuses.

Sinus infection or sinusitis

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the nasal sinuses. It may be a short-term, acute inflammation caused by an infection. Other times it can be a long-term, chronic condition, complicated by allergies and/or structural problems in the nose. Long-term sinusitis can greatly affect your quality of life.

Nasal sinuses are located within the cheeks, around and behind the nose. They act to warm, moisten and filter the air entering the nasal cavity. They also help us vocalize certain sounds.

Symptoms of sinusitis vary depending on the severity and which sinuses are involved. They may go alongside bad breath.

Potential symptoms include:

• Post-nasal drip

Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are soft, jelly-like overgrowth of the sinus lining and look like grapes on the end of a stalk.

They do not always cause symptoms. As they usually grow through the tunnel that connects the sinuses to the nose, they often cause a blocked nose. However, they can also block the airway, which can lead to sinus infections. These infections can cause bad breath due to run-over of post-nasal drip.

PostNasal Drip

Your respiratory system makes a lubricant called mucus. Mucus is a thick, wet substance that moistens your respiratory system and helps trap and destroys bacteria and viruses before they cause infection.

What Is A Sinus Infection

A sinus infection, medically known as sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, occurs when your nasal cavities become infected, swollen, and inflamed. Fluid buildup in the sinuses can cause germs to grow, leading to a sinus infection.

Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus and often lasts even after other upper respiratory symptoms are gone. In some cases, bacteria or, rarely, fungus may cause a sinus infection.

Other conditions such as allergies, nasal polyps, and tooth infections can also contribute to sinus pain and symptoms.

Read Also: Oral Fluconazole For Yeast Infection

Other Remedies For Symptom Relief

Staying hydrated can help thin mucus to ease congestion.

Drinking hot liquids such as tea and broth may help relieve your symptoms. Breathing in moist air may also help relieve the discomfort that comes with nasal congestion. Try breathing in steam from the shower, a bowl of hot water, or a mug of tea.

If your voice is hoarse, rest it by avoiding yelling, whispering, and singing.

Placing a warm compress over the inflamed area can help reduce pressure and provide relief.

damages the natural protective elements of your nose, mouth, throat, and respiratory system.

If you smoke, consider quitting. Ask a doctor if you need help or are interested in quitting. Quitting may help prevent future episodes of both acute and chronic sinusitis.

Wash your hands frequently, especially during cold and flu seasons, to keep your sinuses from becoming irritated or infected by viruses or bacteria on your hands.

Using a humidifier during the cooler, dryer months may also help prevent sinus infections.

Talk with a doctor to see if allergies are causing your sinusitis. If youre allergic to something that causes persistent sinus symptoms, you will likely need to treat your allergies to relieve your sinus infection.

You may need to seek an allergy specialist to determine the cause of the allergy. The specialist may suggest:

• avoiding the allergen
• doing allergic immunotherapy

Keeping your allergies under control can help prevent repeated episodes of sinusitis.

Untreated Sinus Infection Risks

Sinus infections often start to improve on their own after about 10 days. If your symptoms last longer without improving or if they worsen, a doctor may need to treat the underlying cause of the infection.

If a sinus infection affects a sinus cavity close to the brain, it can spread to the brain if left untreated. Though rare, an infection can also pass into the eye socket and cause vision changes or blindness. These types of infections are more common in kids.

While uncommon, a serious fungal sinus infection left untreated may pass into the bones.

Make an appointment with a doctor if you have severe symptoms, or if the following symptoms last longer than 10 days or keep coming back:

• fever
• congestion
• facial pain

Because the cause of your sinus infection can affect your treatment options, its important to see a doctor for a diagnosis. The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if youre looking for a doctor.

If you believe you have chronic or recurring sinusitis, consider asking for a referral to an otolaryngologist, also known as an ear, nose, and throat specialist. You may need imaging and other tests to determine the cause of your symptoms.

An ENT specialist can take a culture of nose drainage to better understand the cause of an infection. The ENT specialist can also examine the sinuses more closely and look for any problem in the structure of the nasal passages that could lead to chronic sinus problems.

• earaches

Don’t Miss: What Does A Sinus Infection Smell Like

Practice Good Dental Hygiene

Having good oral hygiene can help treat several conditions that cause a bad smell in the mouth and nose. Some recommendations from the American Dental Association include:

• Brush the teeth with a fluoride-based toothpaste for 2 minutes twice daily.
• Floss daily.
• Clean the tongue daily with a toothbrush or a tongue scraper.
• Clean dentures and other dental gear daily.
• Chew sugarless gum for 5 minutes after meals.
• Cut back on foods and drinks that contribute to dehydration, such as coffee and alcohol.
• Quit smoking and tobacco use.
• Have dental checkups and cleanings frequently.

Types Of Sinus Infections: Chronic Vs Acute

There are four types of sinus infections. These classifications depend on the length and frequency of the infection:

• Acute sinusitis.This type of sinus infection lasts only for a short time, defined by the American Academy of Otolaryngology as less than 4 weeks. This short-term infection is usually part of a cold or other respiratory illness. It may also be caused by a bacterial infection .
• Subacute sinusitis. A subacute sinus infection lasts between 4 and 12 weeks .
• Recurrent acute sinusitis. An acute sinus infection is considered recurrent if the infection returns four or more times within a year, with each infection lasting 7 days or more.
• Chronic sinusitis.Chronic sinus infections last for more than 12 weeks or continue to recur.

Many sinus infection symptoms are common in both acute and chronic forms. Seeing a doctor is the best way to learn if you have an infection, find the cause, and get treatment.

• nasal congestion

For cases of acute bacterial sinus infections, these symptoms last at least 10 days without improving, or they worsen within 10 days after seeming to improve. In this case, its important to talk with a doctor, such as a general practitioner or an ear, nose, and throat doctor , to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Learn more about the symptoms of a sinus infection below.

You May Like: How Do You Treat A Kidney Infection At Home

Drug Breath: Bad Breath Causes And Medication

Many medicines can cause bad breath by drying up your saliva. Seven out of the top ten prescribed medicines list dry mouth as a side effect.

The worst culprits tend to be medicines that treat:

• Depression
• Asthma
• Parkinsons disease

If you are on any of these medications and experiencing bad breath, talk to your physician and dentist. Try to avoid diuretics such as coffee that can make your dry mouth worse.

Sinus Infection Bad Breath

Your sinuses are air-filled pockets that lie behind your face.

Some COVID-19 signs and symptoms also overlap with signs of sinus infections. Below are a few other means you can inform sinus infections besides COVID-19 by: when symptoms first show up, the length of time symptoms last, exactly how extreme signs and symptoms are Symptoms of sinus infection typically begun unexpectedly. The World Health Organization approximates that 20 percent of people with COVID-19 have extreme or essential health problem.

TikTok’s most current stylish health and wellness technique is to stick garlic up your nose in an effort to ease sinus congestion. Dr. Del Signore sees several significant issues with putting garlic cloves in your nostrils to clean out your sinuses-the first one being that it simply does not work. While it could look as if garlic is in charge of expulsion of mucus and secretions from nasal passageways and sinuses, it’s simply causing mucosa that garlic cloves are in contact with to generate a great deal of secretions.

Once a details bite concern is determined, your dental practitioner can chat with you about options to boost the alignment of your teeth, which could consist of cutting down tooth to improve your bite or set of braces.

* Please keep in mind that all text is machine-generated, we do not bear any responsibility, and you should always get advice from professionals before taking any actions.

Recommended Reading: Can Sinus Infection Make Your Head Feel Weird

Gargle With Salt Water

Gargling with salt water is one of the best home remedies to ease post-nasal drip. It helps thin the mucus, making it easier for your body to get rid of it. It also flushes the irritants out of the nasal passages.

• Add ½ teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of warm water.
• Stir thoroughly until the salt dissolves.
• Gargle with this solution a few times daily for 2 to 3 days.

When Its Time To See A Doctor

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you experience sinus infection symptoms of fever, facial pain, congestion, or nasal discharge that last longer than ten days or that keep coming back.

Dethlefs says you should see a medical provider, If nasal drainage changes from clear to thick and yellow. If fever spikes and persists more than 24-48 hours or symptoms arent adequately treated with OTC therapies.

Fever represents a rare symptom of a sinus infection, indicating you have another illness or underlying condition. Your doctor can perform an evaluation and the necessary testing to identify and treat the root cause of your symptoms.

Reviewed for medical accuracy by

Don’t Miss: External Vulvar Cream For Yeast Infection

How Do You Get Rid Of Bad Breath Due To A Sinus Infection

Although you cannot entirely remove this bad breath by cleaning alone, you can help improve the smell of your breath by brushing twice a day with a fresh breath toothpaste and flossing or interdental cleaning once a day. However, if you feel under the weather, experience upper respiratory symptoms and have issues with continuing bad breath, check with your doctor to see if a sinus infection is the cause.

This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

Certain Foods Drinks And Medications

Foods and drinks are full of microscopic molecules that stimulate the sense of smell.

Most of our ability to enjoy the taste and smell of food and drink relies on molecules traveling to the sinuses through a passageway near where the roof of the mouth connects to the nose.

All foods release smells as our bodies break them down and digest them. However, certain foods and drinks, as well as some drugs, may linger in the mouth or trigger an unpleasant smell in the nose,

Recommended Reading: Are Antibiotics Good For Sinus Infections

What Your Bad Breath Might Be Telling You

Halitosisor persistent bad breathcan be awkward, embarrassing and even offensive. And it doesnt discriminate. Everyone gets halitosis at some point, and doctors estimate that 20 to 30 percent of people in the U.S. have it at any given point.

While bad breath is usually just a nuisance in need of a minty fix, it can also be a sign of serious health issues. We spoke with Ram Neelagiri, MD, MPH, of UNC Primary and Specialty Care at Brier Creek to learn more.

Postnasal Drip Not Usually Related To Bad Breath

Dear Mayo Clinic:

I have had a case of chronic postnasal drip for many years and as a result have very bad breath. Are the two related and if so, how? What can be done to treat bad breath due to postnasal drip?

Answer:

Postnasal drip usually isn’t related to bad breath. Instead, bad breath most often results from the breakdown of food in your mouth, bacteria in the tissues of your mouth or tonsils, dental problems, dry mouth or, rarely, an underlying disease. It is possible that your bad breath could be a result of a sinus problem, such as an infection. But in that case, you’d likely be experiencing symptoms in addition to postnasal drip. To determine what’s causing your bad breath and what can be done, your situation needs more evaluation.

Nasal tissues make mucus all the time to help moisten and clean the nasal passages. Each day your nose and sinuses produce about two cups of mucus. Most is swallowed throughout the day. The amount of mucus can be increased by a cold, influenza, allergies or irritants in the air, such as tobacco smoke. The mucus can also be thickened due to dehydration or infection.

Many people with chronic postnasal drip also report symptoms of frequent throat clearing, coughing or hoarseness and change in their voice. These are all symptoms of gastric reflux, even without obvious heartburn symptoms. Reflux causes throat irritation, leading to a sensation of increased mucus in the throat.

You May Like: How To Stop An Ear Infection From Getting Worse

When Should You See A Doctor

Dr. Neelagiri emphasizes that while bad breath may be a sign of something more serious, most of the time its not. Before visiting a doctor, make sure you brush your teeth regularly, and try to drink more water and gargle with wash. If it doesnt go away, then come in and get it checked out. If you think the bad breath may be caused by something more serious, pay attention to your body. There will be other noticeable symptoms that indicate something is wrong.

Concerned about bad breath? Find a doctor near you.

What To Do For Bad Breath

You could use breath mints or mouthwash to freshen your breath, but these are temporary fixes. Treating the cause of your post-nasal drip is the only way you will eliminate bad sinus breath. There are plenty of over-the-counter nasal decongestants you can take.

There are also some home remedies you can try to open up your sinuses and dry up post-nasal drip:

• Use a humidifier or vaporizer
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Use a nasal saline spray
• Breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water
• Take long showers
• Place a warm wet towel on your face
• Nasal irrigation using a neti pot, syringe or nasal irrigator. Only use distilled or sterile water for the irrigation solution, and be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use.
• Place a pillow underneath your head to keep it elevated when you lie down

If medication or home remedies do not help, see your doctor. He can determine whether or not your sinus condition requires more extensive treatment. You may have an infection that needs attention from a professional.

Let your doctor know if you still have bad breath after your sinus problem has cleared up. Bad breath is often a symptom of other health conditions such as chronic acid reflux, bronchitis, gum disease, kidney or liver disease and pneumonia.

You Might Also Enjoy…

Read Also: Minute Clinic For Ear Infection

How Do I Know If I Have Post Nasal Drip Bad Breath

There are some tell-tale signs that your bad breath is caused by post-nasal drip.

• A frequent need to clear your throat: This is probably the commonest symptom of post-nasal drip. When mucus drains from the sinuses it often collects at the top of the throat, causing hoarseness and irritation.

• Constantly swallowing or a feeling that you have a lump in your throat.

• Continual sore throats that do not develop into illness. Post-nasal drip can cause the cilia to stop functioning properly. This causes a collection of crusty mucus in the nasal and throat lining, which in turn causes inflammation and irritation.

• Difficulty in breathing is very common for people with post-nasal drip. Mucus buildup in the nose can make breathing through your nose very difficult, while throat soreness and coughing can make breathing through your mouth difficult too.

All these situations can cause bad breath due to the build-up of microbes, foreign objects, and metabolites.