Can gastritis cause bad breath?

Gastritis can indeed cause bad breath, a phenomenon primarily stemming from various physiological changes caused by gastritis. 1. Gastritis damages the gastric mucosa, thereby impairing the stomach's digestive function and causing food to remain in the stomach for prolonged periods and be poorly digested. Under these conditions, food residues ferment in the stomach, producing foul-smelling gases that travel up through the esophagus into the mouth, resulting in bad breath. 2. Patients with gastritis often have weakened gastrointestinal motility and reduced metabolic function, leading to food accumulation in the intestines and increased bacterial proliferation, which also generates malodorous gases and contributes to halitosis. Additionally, Helicobacter pylori infection is a common cause of gastritis; this bacterium produces unpleasant odors as it grows and multiplies in the stomach, which are then released through the mouth. 3. To alleviate symptoms of bad breath, patients with gastritis should not only actively treat the underlying gastritis but also maintain good oral hygiene, avoid consuming spicy or pungent foods, and ensure smooth digestion.