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The medical history will be obtained, and a physical examination performed.
Medical history questions documenting breath odor in detail may include:
- Is there a specific odor?
- Is there a fishy smell?
- Does the breath smell like ammonia or urine?
- Does the breath smell like fruit or is there a sweet-chemical smell?
- Does the breath smell like feces?
- Does the breath smell like alcohol?
- Has the person recently eaten a spicy meal, garlic, cabbage, or other "odorous" food?
- Does the person take vitamin supplements?
- Does the person smoke?
- Does good oral hygiene improve the odor?
- What home care measures have been tried? How effective are they?
- Is there a recent sore throat, sinus infection, tooth abscess, or other illness?
- What other symptoms are also present?
The physical examination will include a thorough examination of the mouth and the nose. A throat culture may be taken if the patient has a sore throat or mouth sores.
In rare cases, diagnostic tests that may be performed include:
Antibiotics may be prescribed for some conditions. For an object in the nose, the doctor will use an instrument to remove it.
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