Life

What’s your breath trying to tell you?

Impacted wisdom teeth can produce a similar putrid smell on the breath
Impacted wisdom teeth can produce a similar putrid smell on the breath Impacted wisdom teeth can produce a similar putrid smell on the breath

This week: Smells of rotting flesh

THIS may be a sign of tonsillitis. ‘Bacteria in the mouth or from food can get stuck in crevices in the tonsils,’ says Dr Guy Barwell, a dental surgeon at The Implant Centre in East Sussex.

‘Bacteria triggers an immune reaction, which leads to increased blood flow, redness, heat and pain. This environment means bacteria can fester and produce compounds that have a bad smell.’

Impacted wisdom teeth can produce a similar putrid smell on the breath, as food gets trapped in deep pockets around the teeth, and can rot and produce bacteria with a very distinctive smell, like rotting flesh.