pH Levels and Bad Breath

One of the most surprising side effects of unhealthy pH levels in the body is bad breath. When pH levels are responsible for bad breath, it could be a sign of very serious lung disease. However, there are other reasons why undesirable pH levels may affect your breath.

First, pH levels may cause bad breath when a person consumes an acidic food or drink such as coffee and sugary soda. The acids left in the mouth by these beverages result in an acidic (or low) pH, providing a perfect environment for bacteria to flourish in the mouth. These bacteria, in turn, release the odors that cause bad breath. So the chain of events would be acidic food or drink leads to low pH levels in the mouth which lead to bad breath.

Unfortunately, bad breath could be the sign of a much more grave issue. Researchers have found that bad breath may be caused by acidic pH levels in the lungs. These acidic pH levels in the lungs have been linked to lung diseases like cystic fibrosis and asthma. What’s more, when pH levels in the lungs are more acidic, it typically means the lung disease is more severe.

Acidic pH levels in the lungs, also known as respiratory acidosis, occur when the lungs are not able to remove carbon dioxide from the body, which upsets the body’s delicate pH balance. Body pH levels become too acidic and one of the symptoms is bad breath. Acidic pH levels causing bad breath may be a sign of chronic obstructive lung disease, scoliosis, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and severe obesity.