Peter Stewart

Bad Breath, But Not From Your Mouth

Bad breath out of your nose is not as strange as it sounds. Find out the resons why those nasty odors can migrate to other locations.

Although bad breath usually comes from the mouth, occassionally it takes a little detour and you get bad breath out of your nose. This can be difficult to pinpoint as the nose and mouth are so very close, especially in young children. It is not a complete mystery however, and there are a few main causes and pointers to those particular problems.

Young children like to put things in their mouths, noses and ears. Part of their exploration is pushing those little things into unlikely orifices. This may result in small parts or food being lodged in the nose, where it can gradually decompose and start to cause bad breath out of nose. If there is no obvious obstruction then a physician will be able to remove any bits that are very deep. One of the common indicators that your child could have something stuck in their nose would be a discharge from the nose. If it is deep enough you may not be able to spot it, so ask your doctor if you have concerns.

Interior nasal discharge or post nasal-drip can also cause bad breah out of the nose. This fuels the bacteria in the mouth that are associated with the production of the smell. The bacteria that cause stinky breath are located at the back of the mouth and the post nasal drip occurs down the throat, right at the back of your mouth. The proteins in the nasal drip are exactly what the bacteria need to go into overdrive creating what can often be described as a "sick smell."

Although bacteria in the mouth are the common cause of bad breath, bad breath can also be caused by something that is eaten, such as garlic or onions.  While these foods can directly react with the bacteria in the mouth to cause the smell, they are also absorbed in the stomach and then spread through the body in the bloodstream.  The lungs will absorb the smell from the blood, and exhale it.  If the mouth is closed, then this smell will appear to come only from the nose.

While all these may cause smells from your nose, these kinds of smells do not usually come exlusively from your nose. Most of the time you will have bad breath from your mouth as well as bad breath from nose. They are often a case of physical abnormalities or particular infections.

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