A woman who was told her breath smelled like nail polish remover was diagnosed after tests with a life-threatening diabetes complication, according to a report. Experts say most bad breath stems from oral disease or lifestyle habits, but noted that an unusual smell accompanied by other symptoms such as weight loss can be a warning sign of a bodily abnormality.
Alice Doguryol, 49, who lives in London, was told one day by her boyfriend that her breath smelled strange, Britain's Daily Mail reported on the 25th. She brushed her teeth frequently and drank plenty of water. She always carried mouth spray with her. But the sour, strong smell rarely went away. Alice said she was told her breath smelled like nail polish remover, and that she felt a similar taste in her mouth.
At first she thought it was simply a problem of oral hygiene. But over time, fungal infections recurred. Her weight also began to drop rapidly. About a year later, she visited a hospital and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes along with diabetic ketoacidosis. After she began insulin treatment, the bad breath disappeared.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is an emergency condition that occurs when insulin is severely lacking. When insulin is insufficient, the body cannot properly use glucose in the blood as an energy source. Instead, the body rapidly breaks down fat. In this process, ketone bodies are produced. Among ketone bodies, the acetone component can produce a smell similar to nail polish remover or sweet fruit. For this reason, an unusual smell can appear in the breath or sweat. If treatment is delayed, dehydration, abdominal pain, vomiting, rapid breathing, and reduced consciousness can occur. In severe cases, it can lead to a coma or death.
Alice was mistakenly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2019, before being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As a result, insulin treatment essential for type 1 diabetes patients was delayed. Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Because of this, the body produces almost no insulin. Patients must administer insulin daily to survive. It is known to mostly develop at a young age, but it can also occur after reaching adulthood. When diabetes develops in adults, it is easy to judge it as type 2, which can delay diagnosis. According to research by the University of Exeter in Britain, 38% of adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after age 30 were initially judged to have type 2 diabetes and did not receive necessary insulin treatment in time.
Alice said her symptoms were very severe by the time she received an accurate diagnosis. She said she felt as if she were dying, and that doctors told her that had it been about a week later, she could have fallen into a coma.
Experts explain that changes in breath or body odor can be a clue to disease. When illness develops, the composition of chemicals in the body changes. These substances can be released through the breath, sweat, or urine, creating a distinctive smell. Dr. Dean Eggitt of the Oakwood Surgery in Doncaster, Britain, explained that when illness develops, chemicals in the body change, and each substance can produce its own unique smell.
However, not all bad breath should be judged as a sign of disease. Most bad breath is caused by relatively common factors such as oral hygiene, strong-smelling foods, dental diseases such as cavities and gum disease, and tonsillitis. Eggitt said what matters is not the smell itself but the circumstances in which it appears. He advised that if a new, unusual smell develops along with other symptoms such as weight loss, severe fatigue, thirst, and frequent urination, it is necessary to seek medical care.
In addition to diabetes, a significant decline in liver or kidney function can also change breath and body odor. Patients with advanced cirrhosis may have a musty or sweet smell, or a smell similar to sulfur, as the liver fails to sufficiently process toxic substances. Jaundice, abdominal swelling, and confusion may also appear together. As chronic kidney disease progresses, waste products in the blood are not properly excreted. As waste builds up in the blood and saliva, "uremic bad breath," in which the mouth smells like ammonia or urine, can develop.
