The sources of halitosis are varied and it is entirely possible that the cause of bad breath is the tonsils in some cases. In fact, any time you have an infection in the body it means that there are microorganisms in your body secreting waste products. Plus, infections tend to create foul odors because there are large numbers of white blood cells and bacteria that are killed. Decaying flesh is consumed by bacteria who secrete products like Putrecine, known to cause foul odor. Your body is a constant battleground between antibodies and bacteria so there are a number of potential sources of bad breath due to infection, including:
- Liver Disease
- Kidney Disease
- Periodontal or gum disease
- Infections in the mouth, throat, or your teeth
Nearly one third of us had our tonsils removed if we were born prior to 1960 as it was a common procedure in earlier times because doctors feared the spread of infection to other areas of the body when they became diseased. Since tonsils are not actually vital to any normal function, removing them seemed like a harmless way to prevent further problems, including bad breath. However, this practice is not as common today as doctors began to realize that the tonsils actually helped to contain infection rather than serve as a conduit for spreading problems.
But, infected tonsils are actually a very uncommon source of bad breath problems. When chronic bad breath issues do arise and you cannot stop them using normal oral hygiene and products specially formulated to control the bacteria responsible for halitosis, it is time to consult with a dentist as gum disease is actually the most likely factor causing the problem.
A dentist will use what is essentially an odor detector, known as a Halimeter. This instrument actually isolates the source of emissions that cause halitosis. If the dentist cannot detect any substantial emissions coming from the oral cavity, either at the back of the tongue or along the gum line, then one of the internal factors may be the source of the bad breath and it is time to consult with a physician.
However, for bad breath problems that do not go away using normal oral hygiene, advanced periodontal disease is the most likely culprit. This is because the conditions causes the formation of pockets in between the teeth and gums as toxins produced by the anaerobic bacteria responsible for the condition literally dissolve the collagen that holds tissues together.
These pockets are too deep for normal oral hygiene which is why bad breath problems persist even though you are using every measure possible to control the halitosis.
Any bad breath remedy is only effective if it truly addresses the source of the condition. While it is certainly possible that the cause of the bad breath is the tonsils, this is true in less than 2% of the time so look to the gum line whenever standard halitosis remedies fail.
