The smell of acetone from the mouth

09-06-2018
Health

Halitosis, or fetid breath is always unpleasant. Its presence indicates any pathology that may be hidden not only in the oral cavity, but also in the body in general. It can be said that the formation of halitosis is not only a medical problem, but also a social one. After all, an unpleasant smell makes you limit communication, which gradually leads to isolation and even depression.

Experienced doctors by the very smell can suspect a certain disease and after the study make an accurate diagnosis. There are even special works that allow not only to understand how a certain pathology smells, but also to explain the mechanism for the formation of such an odor.

The smell from the mouth can be very specific, for example, the smell of acetone. This symptom can occur in both babies and adults.

The smell of acetone from the mouth: causes

The smell of acetone from the mouth

It does not sound strange, but acetone is a necessary component in the human body, although its quantity should be strictly normalized. With an increase in the index, the acid-base balance suffers, and, accordingly, the metabolic processes begin to disrupt.

The smell of acetone from the mouth is specific and speaks of a serious pathology. Initially, it is necessary to exclude diabetes. In this disease, the smell of acetone is literally one of the first symptoms.

To explain the appearance of such a bad breath in diabetes is quite simple.

  • It's no secret that diabetes is associated with an insufficient amount of insulin, a hormone that is designed to remove glucose from the blood and deliver it to the muscles and organs, including the brain. Feeling the lack of glucose, the brain tries to get it from other organs - the digestive tract. By this action, he not only gets the necessary glucose, but also tries to stimulate insulin production. Unfortunately, insulin is not produced, and increased sugar appears in the blood. Sensing a large amount of sugar in the blood, the brain gives another command - the entry of other substrates in the blood - ketone bodies. Just the accumulation of these bodies and gives the smell of acetone from the mouth. And the smell can emanate not only from the mouth, literally all skin exudes it, urine smells the most strongly.
  • Moreover, the smell of acetone from the mouth can be in the pathology of the liver and kidneys. The liver is involved in many metabolic processes, its cells produce special enzymes that regulate metabolism. In the case of diseases and damage to liver cells, an imbalance in the body occurs, the metabolism begins to falter. Consequently, the risk of increasing the concentration of acetone increases.
  • In case of kidney diseases, it is not so much the smell of acetone that is formed, but ammonia. And this is a very terrible symptom that indicates the formation of renal failure.
  • In some diseases of the thyroid gland, the smell of acetone may also be present. Usually such symptoms are observed with an increase in the concentration of thyroid hormones. This type of hormones is involved in the activation of metabolism, with increasing their concentration, thereby increasing the breakdown of fats and proteins. Thanks to this active process, the smell of acetone is formed.

If you smell acetone from your mouth, this is a serious reason to see a doctor. Odor can be a symptom of diseases such as diabetes, kidney or liver failure. In children, the smell of acetone can appear as a result of acetonemic crisis, unhealthy diet, stressful situations.