The mucus in infected sinuses smells extremely unpleasant. Sinus infections cause bad breath as the infected, foul-smelling mucus drips from the sinuses down the back of the throat, where it meets the air you exhale.
Sometimes, the odor may stem from a sinus problem. Sometimes, it originates right at the back of the throat with what are called tonsil stones. Tonsil stones are small formations that develop in pockets within the tonsils.
Bad Breath
An infected sinus releases mucus that has a foul odor. The mucus drains to the back of your throat, resulting in bad breath. Also, when you have a sinus infection, there may be bacteria trapped in the nasal cavities, which produces an unpleasant smell.
Chronic sinusitis symptoms
Thick and/or foul-smelling or tasting nasal discharge or postnasal drip. Loss of smell.
You usually only notice mucus when you're making too much of it. Or if it changes consistency. An infection can make mucus thicker and stickier. Infections also lead to inflammation in the mucous membranes that line the nose and the rest of your airway.
Postnasal drip occurs when mucus from the sinuses drains down the back of your throat. This can cause a bad smell and taste in your mouth, as well as an itchy feeling in your throat. In some cases, postnasal drip can also result in coughing or sore throats.
It is a common symptom of conditions such as the common cold, sinusitis, and allergies. The excess mucus can be caused by inflammation or swelling of the nasal passages, which can be due to a variety of factors such as viral or bacterial infections, allergies, or irritants in the air.
Tonsils infected with the contagion begin to emit low levels of pus, or dead white blood cells. The decaying cells give off a protein-like odor similar to that exuding from tonsil stones, though generally not as strong.
The prognosis. The majority of causes of a foul odor in your nose are curable. It's possible that your foul mucus or smelly tonsils were a one-time occurrence. However, if you have a history of sinus infections, you may be subjected to these unpleasant episodes on a regular basis.
Other mouth, nose and throat conditions.
Bad breath can occasionally stem from small stones that form in the tonsils and are covered with bacteria that produce odor. Infections or chronic inflammation in the nose, sinuses or throat, which can contribute to postnasal drip, also can cause bad breath.
Postnasal drip is the accumulation of excess mucus in the nose or back of the throat. Mucus that stays in the throat and hardens in the tonsils can attract bacteria that contribute to bad breath. Dairy products, such as milk and cheese, can cause this mucus to thicken and worsen problems with bad breath.
Tonsil stones, or 'tonsilloliths', are small lumps of hardened material that can form in your tonsils. They can cause bad breath and most commonly occur in teenagers. The stones are usually small — it is rare to have a large tonsil stone.
The main symptom of pharyngitis is a sore throat, but you may also have other signs of an infection, such as a fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, and swollen glands in your neck. Your doctor will notice that your pharynx is swollen and red when looking at your throat.
If you cough up phlegm that's yellow, green, brown, black, white or red — or if you cough up mucus for two weeks or longer, schedule a visit with your healthcare provider. They can find out what's causing you to cough up phlegm and treat any underlying conditions.
Catarrh is a build-up of mucus in an airway or cavity of the body. It usually affects the back of the nose, the throat or the sinuses (air-filled cavities in the bones of the face). It's often temporary, but some people experience it for months or years. This is known as chronic catarrh.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease that is passed down through families. It is caused by a defective gene that makes the body produce abnormally thick and sticky fluid, called mucus. This mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas.
Sometimes microbial buildups, growths, or infections in the sinuses contribute to breath that smells like mold or fungus. Sinus infections often causes thick, yellowish-green mucus to drip from the nose or sinuses to the back of the throat.
Though they're always at work, you typically only notice the sticky substances when you're sick. Mucus and phlegm are similar, yet different: Mucus is a thinner secretion from your nose and sinuses. Phlegm is thicker and is made by your throat and lungs.
The main symptoms of a chest infection can include: a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing.
Postnasal drip can certainly be bothersome but typically doesn't result in bad breath because the mucus is odorless. That said, an acute sinus infection could cause bad breath, but this wouldn't last for years.
Gargling with salt water helps to clear your throat and reduce mucus. Add 2-3 tablespoons of salt to a warm glass of water. Take a sip of salt water, keep it on your throat with your head tilted back rather than swallowing it, and gargle for a few seconds. Spit out the water afterward, and repeat.