7 dangerous diseases that can be identified by bad breath

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Gum disease, diabetes, and even cancer – all of this can be identified by bad breath.

When we are sick, changes occur in our body that are reflected in its work. Our skin color may change, a mark may appear on our nails or teeth, and our smell may change. The slightest change in our body's biochemistry can indicate diseases that will develop long before the first symptoms appear – the main thing is to know what and where to look. Here are the diseases doctors can identify literally by smell.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia — high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy can be a precursor to the deadly eclampsia. It’s important to detect it as early as possible. According to a study published 3 years ago in the journal Advanced Materials Science, this disease can be detected by a pregnant woman’s breath — with an accuracy of up to 84%!

Lung Cancer

Israeli scientists have developed a device called “NaNose” that can detect lung cancer with up to 90% accuracy, even in its very early stages. Moreover, according to the results of a study published in the journal ACS Nano, this device, similar to a breathalyzer, can also detect Crohn’s disease, kidney failure, multiple sclerosis and some forms of cancer by smell.

Kidney failure

One of the signs of this disease is the smell of ammonia on the breath. Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a disposable device that can detect the slightest sign of ammonia on the breath and thereby make a diagnosis as early as possible. Now scientists are working to make the device as easy to use and cheap as possible, so that everyone who needs it can access early diagnosis.

Liver failure

Breath with the smell of raw fish is a sign that the liver is no longer coping with its work and cannot process toxins. Dangerous substances accumulate in urine, sweat and breath – and give it a specific smell.

Multiple sclerosis

This dangerous autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks its own central nervous system, leaves a clear mark on the patient's breath. As research has shown, the majority of patients with multiple sclerosis have a change in their breath, even in the very early stages of the disease.

Gum disease

A smell that resembles the “aroma” of stale eggs is a sign of gum disease. Moreover, an abscess can develop in a small “pocket” of the gums, a few millimeters in size. Only a doctor can detect and clean it – so at the first signs of bad breath, you should urgently consult a dentist, even if neither your teeth nor your gums hurt yet.

Diabetes

A specific sweet, “fruity” smell from your mouth may indicate the development of type 2 diabetes: this is a sign of ketosis, when the body begins to extract energy from carbohydrates, and from fats. It is important to consult an endocrinologist and have your blood sugar tested as early as possible – this will allow you to take measures and catch the disease at an early stage.