It’s almost impossible to have perfect, fresh breath when you wake up in the morning. The most typical reason for this is poor oral hygiene as well as experiencing dry mouth throughout the night. Eating a particularly strong-smelling meal before bed may also be to blame. But health organizations have warned that there may be a more sinister cause for the condition. It turns out that bad breath is a lesser-known symptom of a deadly disease.
According to the NHS and Cancer Research UK, bad breath is a symptom of laryngeal cancer, a disease that affects the larynx, better known as the voice box, Express reported. The NHS explains: “The larynx is the part of the throat at the entrance to the windpipe (trachea). It plays an important role in helping you breathe and speak.”
An article on the NHS’s official website states: “Throat cancer is more common in people over the age of 60. It is more common in men than women.”
Bad breath is listed by the NHS as a potential symptom of throat cancer. According to the University of California San Francisco Health, this sign is more likely to appear in later stages. As the tumor grows, it can cause pain, weight loss, bad breath, and choking.
Vishal Gupta, MD, a head and neck surgeon and assistant professor of oncology and otolaryngology, explained that it is not known exactly why this cancer is linked to bad breath. But he told the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center: “It’s not entirely clear, but it’s probably related to the high concentration of polyamines in the cancer cells.”
If you start experiencing more severe bad breath, you should make lifestyle changes like brushing your teeth regularly, flossing, and proper hydration, he advised. But if it continues after that, you should speak to a dentist or doctor as it could be a sign of a more serious condition, Dr Gupta said.