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I’m dealing with chronic bad breath for years now and it’s seriously affecting my confidence and daily life. I’m looking for real guidance from people who’ve dealt with something similar or understand the root cause.
Here’s everything I’ve already done:
Tonsillectomy (tonsils removed)
Dental checkups + cleaning (dentist says teeth/gums are fine)
Tongue treatments / consistent cleaning (still coating + smell)
Tested positive for H. pylori → completed full treatment
During treatment, bad breath improved for ~10 days
Then returned after stopping
SIBO test negative
Endoscopy showed LES laxity (Grade 3) → possible reflux component
Tried PPI (Pantoprazole) but not sure if it helped much
Currently doing nasal rinse (neti pot), noticing mucus + cold-like symptoms
Symptoms I notice:
Tongue coating after eating (this smells)
Saliva sometimes smells when I check
Morning breath is worse
Feels like mucus/post-nasal drip from nose/throat
Sometimes feels like smell may also come from nose
Teeth/floss don’t smell much
What I’m trying to understand:
Could LES Grade 3 reflux be causing this via throat irritation (LPR), even without strong heartburn?
Does this sound more like post-nasal drip/sinus vs reflux vs oral microbiome issue?
Why did antibiotics during H. pylori treatment temporarily improve the smell?
Has anyone actually fixed something like this long-term (not temporary relief)?
What kind of doctor/path should I focus on — ENT vs gastro vs something else?
I’m willing to follow a strict plan and invest in proper treatment, but I want to avoid random trials and focus on what actually works.
Any real experiences or direction would mean a lot. Thanks 🙏