• Dr. Andrew Ordon of "The Doctors" says that sinusitis can cause bad breath.
• Sinusitis is known to cause other negative health side effects.
• Treating sinusitis can be simple and low-risk.
"It's not good to mouth-breathe," Dr. Robert Weiss of CT ENT Sinus Center told Connecticut Business Daily. "So if you mouth-breathe, what happens? Your mouth dries out. Saliva is most important. It protects against pathogens in the mouth and the oral cavity. So if the membranes are dry, that can lead to many problems. Constantly mouth-breathing, even during sleep, can affect oral health."
Symptoms of sinusitis include yellow or green drainage from the nose, pressure and pain in the face, a stuffy nose, bad breath, coughing up mucus, especially at night, and sometimes fever and chills, according to Merck Manual.
Balloon sinuplasty is most often recommended for people with chronic sinusitis, after other treatments for their condition have been ineffective. The procedure is fairly straightforward, and reported complications are minimal. There’s no cutting and no removal of bones or tissue, according to Healthline.
On an episode of "The Doctors," Dr. Andrew Ordon responded to a viewer's question about whether untreated sinusitis can cause bad breath. Dr. Ordon said, "Yes, for sure. The minute that those sinuses get clogged up, you have a buildup of mucus; bacteria grow in there. They cause an odor that spreads not only into the nasal cavities, but down into your mouth. In fact, bad breath is one of the major symptoms of sinusitis."
Ordon has worked as a surgeon for more than 30 years. He has been nominated twice for an Emmy for his role as a cohost of the talk show "The Doctors."
To learn more about sinusitis and balloon sinuplasty, visit CT ENT Sinus Center.