Digestive healthEar nose & throatDental health

8 things your breath could reveal about your health

Stop throwing mints at the problem and find out what's really causing your bad breath.


LearnDental health8 things your breath could reveal about your health
Your oral hygiene needs help
Your diet may need some changes
You skip the dentist
You have dry mouth
Your allergies are acting up
You have heartburn
You smoke
You might have a more serious medical condition

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Your breath can reveal a lot about your health status. In fact, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used the smell of people’s breath to help make medical diagnoses for centuries. Dogs can even be trained to detect cancer based on the way someone's breath smells.

Here are eight things your breath can reveal, plus ways to get help for common bad breath issues.

Sources: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Fo... + 17
  1. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Four Diagnostic Methods. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
  2. Pellin MA, Malone LA, et al. The use of sniffer dogs for early detection of cancer: a One Health approach. Am J Vet Res. 2023;85(1):ajvr.23.10.0222. Published 2023 Nov 11.
  3. American Dental Association. Bad Breath: 6 Causes (and 6 Solutions). Page accessed October 25, 2024.
  4. American Dental Association. Floss/Interdental Cleaners. Page last updated September 21, 2021.
  5. Shamsoddin E. Dental floss as an adjuvant of the toothbrush helps gingival health. Evid Based Dent. 2022;23(3):94-96.
  6. Li Z, Li J, et al. Halitosis: etiology, prevention, and the role of microbiota. Clin Oral Investig. 2023;27(11):6383-6393.
  7. Mayo Clinic. Bad Breath. Page last updated December 21, 2023.
  8. American Dental Association. Dentures. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
  9. Mayo Clinic. Dry mouth treatment: Tips for controlling dry mouth. Page last updated May 27, 2023.
  10. American Dental Association. Chewing Gum. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
  11. American Dental Association. The Truth About Sugary Drinks and Your Smile. Page accessed October 25, 2024.
  12. Escobar Gil T, Laverde Gil J. Artificially Sweetened Beverages Beyond the Metabolic Risks: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Cureus. 2023;15(1):e33231. Published 2023 Jan 1.
  13. Cleveland Clinic. Postnasal Drip. Page last reviewed May 19, 2022.
  14. Cleveland Clinic. Heartburn. Page last reviewed January 19, 2023.
  15. Poniewierka E, Pleskacz M, et al. Halitosis as a symptom of gastroenterological diseases. Prz Gastroenterol. 2022;17(1):17-20.
  16. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Halitosis (Bad Breath). Page accessed October 25, 2024.
  17. Kauss AR, Antunes M, et al. Influence of tobacco smoking on the development of halitosis. Toxicol Rep. 2022;9:316-322. Published 2022 Mar 6.
  18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Page last updated May 15, 2024.
Written by Michael Gollust.
Medically reviewed by Amy Gonzales, MD.December, 2024
Updated onAugust, 2026
Written by Michael Gollust.
Medically reviewed by Amy Gonzales, MD.December, 2024
Updated onAugust, 2026
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