19 September 2023 , 10:19
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Bad breath is never pleasant - but did you know it could also signal a worrying health problem? New research from the gut health testing company OMED Health has revealed that 'rotten egg' smells can provide valuable insight into the state of your gastrointestinal system.
The distinctive smell is caused by hydrogen sulfide, a gas produced by specific bacteria in your gut. And while having some hydrogen sulfide in breath is normal, high levels have been associated with several serious digestive diseases.
"High concentrations of hydrogen sulfide in the gut have been linked with a number of digestive conditions, including inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome,” explains Dr Nabeetha Nagalingam, Principal Translational Scientist at Owlstone Medical and OMED Health.
"Gut bacteria that produce high levels of hydrogen sulfide can damage the delicate cells in the colon and hydrogen sulfide can interfere with the ability of gut cells to use energy. It's a combination of these responses that likely drives some of the gut inflammation seen in conditions like IBD and IBS," she told Huffington Post.
So what can you do if you're suffering? Diet is one of the most effective ways to both prevent and treat gut problems. In particular, probiotics containing the bacterial strains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria are particularly helpful in reducing bad breath.
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You can also try playing around with your food to determine what is triggering your symptoms. And you can try to eat less sulfuric foods in general. Foods that are high in sulfur include eggs, poultry, fish, and plants such as garlic, onions, and leeks, as well as vegetables like kale, cabbage, and broccoli.
While these changes have been found to reduce the symptoms of IBS caused by hydrogen sulfide, they shouldn't been used for the long-term because they can be very restrictive. And it's always important to speak to your doctor or nutritionist before making any major changes to your diet.
Meanwhile, experts at the Oral Health Foundation have revealed the best way to check if you have bad breath, particularly when you are in public. They recommend licking the inside of your wrist and sniffing it, if it smells bad then "you can be fairly sure" that you have smelly breath.
Dr Harold Katz, a dentist specialising in bacteriology, says: "Almost all bad breath odours are caused by anaerobic bacteria living in the back of the tongue, throat and tonsils, which break down the proteins in our food as part of their daily job. "However, when someone isn't entirely healthy, it can be harder for these bacteria to break down these proteins as they should, leaving particular chemical smells behind."