does cpap cause bad breath?

(I only have a moment but) what you say has changed is you used to mouth breathe, now your mouth is closed all night. This gives the bacteria in your mouth a MUCH better chance of multiplying than they had before. You are giving them a new, warm, moist environment in which to thrive. In fact, you used to be rinsing them out several times a night -- now, not at all.

Some peoples' mouths are much more hospitable to odor-causing bacteria than others. You will likely have to try different solutions in order to find one that works for you. A call to your dentist might be in order!

As a relatively new xPAP user, I've had a few experiences waking up grossed out by the smell of my own breath. Thankfully, I'm gradually becoming a nose-breather! I don't know if it's gotten worse with the use of the mask or not, but nobody's been complaining. Any more than usual anyhow

Recently, we switched from Listerine mouthwash to Colgate No-Alcohol "Night Time" mouthwash. The aftertaste takes a little getting used to, but my wife and I both notice that it's more effective and I've had fewer "olfactory alerts" since the switch. Arm & Hammer baking soda toothpaste also does a very nice job of neutralizing things.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with MoneyGal. It may be counterintuitive, but mouth breathers tend to have less pleasant breath than nasal breathers because less bacteria gets washed away by saliva and normal digestive enzymes fail to reach the proper levels. Even a very dry mouth has more than enough moisture to make bacteria fat and sassy.

CPAP can indeed produce a dry mouth with even fairly minor mouth leakage. I suspect that may be your problem, but feel concerned that it took four months for the problem to become noticeable (unless those near to you were being overly polite). You should definitely have a medical evaluation; any sudden change like this raises a red flag.

drubin007 wrote: .........The only thing I can think of is cpap (started about 4 months ago, give or take)... I quit smoking a few weeks before that. ...........

It seems obvious. Bad breath from smoking was masking the usual bad breath. When you smoked people expected bad breath. Now the expectations are higher.

I, like others, suspect mouthbreathing/leaking which will dry out the saliva in your mouth. Without saliva, bacteria can multiply rapidly. Do you awaken at times with dry mouth.

rooster wrote: I, like others, suspect mouthbreathing/leaking which will dry out the saliva in your mouth. Without saliva, bacteria can multiply rapidly. Do you awaken at times with dry mouth.

not anymore. I wear a chin strap to "remind" me to keep the mouth closed. Before cpap I would have dry mouth about every hour.........Now, about 98% of the time I do not need water at night.

Years of mouth breathing can have caused many problems that are just now surfacing.

Also many asthma and other medications can cause something called "Thrush" which is some sort of fungal infection in the mouth and throat cause incredible bad breath.

BlackSpinner wrote:......Also many asthma and other medications can cause something called "Thrush" which is some sort of fungal infection in the mouth and throat cause incredible bad breath.

Oh my goodness!



Get to a vet right away!

Wow, I sure hate for my first post here to be about something kind of...well...icky, but I've not been able to get in here due to some kind of glitch, for so long, and I finally got my friend, the computer expert to get me in this morning...so...

Anyway, I know of four people on CPAP/BiPAP who began having problems with bad breath almost as soon as they started the treatment.
Three of the four had previously had a problem with tonsilliths (also known as "tonsil stones" and "tonsil cheese" -- I know...ewwww) prior to the CPAP, but they got MUCH worse after...and their bad breath became pretty unbearable.
Since I can't post a link...please google either "tonsilliths", "tonsil stones", or "tonsil cheese" (ewwww)...and read a bit.
The drying effect of CPAP/BiPAP can definitely help cause more of those rascals to form...and bacteria does love to thrive in a dry mouth which has no saliva rinsing it.
Gargling (deep tonsil type) has helped my friends, along with actually trying to revove the "stones", which is a whole other topic onto itself.
I thought I would bring this up because it *could* be the cause.

Interesting video re morning breath. Think of the normal bacteria like a smoldering fire, then add constant air flow and you have a L.A. type fire raging. Perhaps that's the role CPAP plays in the picture.

A properly working CPAP system does not create any more air flow than a normal healthy person experiences. It only creates a pressure.

A CPAP system that is working improperly due to leaking may cause additional air flow.

Demeter_Soul wrote: Three of the four had previously had a problem with tonsilliths (also known as "tonsil stones" and "tonsil cheese" -- I know...ewwww) prior to the CPAP, but they got MUCH worse after...and their bad breath became pretty unbearable.

OMG! Those things are like little white balls of 100% pure concentrated EVIL! The foulest smelling, nastiest, putrescent, grossest things that make a bad smell. It would bring the foulest toot to its knees.

I used to get these things during allergy season IF I let my allergies get out of control and left them untreated. As long as I suppress my symptoms with stuff like Claritin, Nasonex, and now sinus irrigation, I won't get them.

Seriously....the stuff nightmares are made of. NEVER EVER EVER pinch one between your fingers and sniff it. You will probably die from the shock if you aren't lucky and don't black out first.

Demeter_Soul wrote:Wow, I sure hate for my first post here to be about something kind of...well...icky

That's, like, the understatement of the year, bringing up the subject of Tonsil Stones.

I'm sorry, Spacetoast.
I just wanted to help the OP solve his problem...and thought I might bring up the topic of the tonsil stones...cause as I posted, I know several people who get them and suffered from them even more after starting CPAP.

It seems like everyone I know is under the care of a doc for CPAP therapy...and we've all sort of united and we talk and gripe and moan...and we even talk about some pretty gross things.
Just trying to help.

Demeter_Soul wrote:I'm sorry, Spacetoast.
I just wanted to help the OP solve his problem...and thought I might bring up the topic of the tonsil stones...cause as I posted, I know several people who get them and suffered from them even more after starting CPAP.

It seems like everyone I know is under the care of a doc for CPAP therapy...and we've all sort of united and we talk and gripe and moan...and we even talk about some pretty gross things.
Just trying to help.

I'm sorry if I came across as really disturbed about you bringing it up, I'm not at all. I was just trying to be silly about it. I apologize for that!

Actually, you bringing it up might help someone who comes across this post. I remember getting them sometimes and wondering what the heck they were. They are so awful that it wasn't something I wanted to bring up with anyone. One day, somehow, it got brought up between me and the drummer in a band I was in and then we were able to google them and find out (sort of) what they were.

There are some theories that the stones are caused by food particles getting trapped in the pockets in the tonsils, but from experience, I would have to say this is not the case at all. If that were the case, it should be something that happens throughout the year. For me it was only during allergy season when my body was in overdrive fighting off the phantom menace of pollen. Therefore, I think the stones are caused by the body trying to excrete what it thinks is nasty stuff attacking it. My guess is if you have allergies or if you are fighting off a lengthy illness like a cold or a flu, you might get them at that point too.

OR, as is the case with the OP, perhaps the change in the dryness/wetness of the mouth is causing the body to react to more bacteria? The body is a tough nut to crack. I admire good doctors who are good at making proper diagnoses. It's not like being a mechanic and checking for parts that definitely work or do not work.

"hmmm... Let's try changing out this guy's lymph system and see if that clears up the error code...."

I have an Idea. Try smelling the air that comes out of your CPAP machine. Or have your wife smell it (maybe you're used to it). Maybe it stinks...I could be dirty, or mildewy or something.

'S OK, Spacetoast!

My father told me he had them and they seemed to come after he had a sinus infection, and while he never had bad breath, normally, he would have it while he was sick and shortly after.
I asked our family doc about them and that's when I found out they were tonsilliths and my doc felt they were a combination of the corruption of the infection and perhaps food.
The smell has been likened to sulphur.
I've not smelled any...but I have heard they are pretty foul.

I hate to admit to being interested in almost all things medical -- even the grossest things -- but I am and I like to try to track down causes of ailments and such.
Sadly...I forget that not everyone is like me...and that they don't want to read and hear about such things in great detail.

Anyway...hoping that the OP does find a simple solution to his problem.

Thanks for being so kind and taking time to post, again.