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Can Gastric Bypass Cause Chronic Bad Breath?

Can Gastric Bypass Cause Chronic Bad Breath?

Question Below Submitted By:  

Dane S (a patient from Charleston, SC)

I am considering gastric bypass but I have a friend who had the surgery two years ago and is at goal weight. I have noticed his breath smells bad some of the time.

Is this the case with all bypass patients or something just my friend has?

I do not want to proceed with the surgery if there is a chance of life-long bad breath. I am a teacher and around students all of the time.

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01.

Expert Responses to the Question Above

Surgeon Response to "Can Gastric Bypass Cause Chronic Bad Breath?"

by: Peter Rovito, MD, FACS

Dane,

Bad breath may be a temporary side effect of ketosis. Ketosis occurs when byproducts of fat metabolism are released in your body during periods of rapid weight loss.

If it does occur, it will usually happen early on when the weight loss is most rapid, and it is transient. Good oral hygiene should help to minimize its effect. Tooth brushing, mouthwash, sprays, rinses, mints, etc., should provide relief.

Once again, if it does occur such that it is clinically apparent or obvious, it is not often, and doesn't usually last long.

This issue seems to be related to your friend. It certainly should not be the deciding factor whether this life changing/saving procedure should be undertaken.

Peter F. Rovito, MD, FACS

(click here for Dr. Rovito's full bio & contact info)

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DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the details provided. The above should never replace the advice of your local physicians as they have the ability to evaluate you in person.

02.

Patient Responses to the Question Above

Can't go back to normal breath after the surgery

by: Samuel Nelson

I have had 2 surgeries due to the severity of my GERD; the last surgery was a Nissen Fundoplication Laporoscopy, where my stomach and fundus was stapled to the bottom of my esophagus.

The smell after the surgeries has made me one of the most disliked and slandered persons on this earth. I am trying to apply for social security disability benefits because no human resource interviewer will offer me a job past the interview. I suffer from severe depression as a result of this; relationships and social life is a thing of the pass, and my church members don't want to spend any time with me because of this issue.

What's worse is that now I am concerned about what is called "Barrett's Esophagus" which happens after surgery for GERD fails, and can lead to throat cancer.

My heart goes to all of us in the world who cannot live a decent life because of health gone wrong!

Horrible breath post op!

by: Anonymous

Oh my goodness! I am 5 days post op from getting the sleeve and I thought i was prepared for every single bad side affect that would come from this surgery. I did all the research and watched so many people's youtube videos and was ready for it. However no on said anything about bad breath!

I noticed it right away when i woke up from surgery and just thought it was because they haden't let me brush my teeth yet. Except after the teeth brushing my breath didn't get any better and I was thinking it was because I'm not drinking enough water. So I've been driniking water every 5 minutes and I know I'm for sure not dehydraited but yet that awful smell and taste hasen't gone away. My family and boyfriend have all told me that my breath smells horrible and thats not normal for me.

I'm so glad to see that there is a light at the end of this tunnel because when I made the decision to get the surgery, I made the decision to accept all the bad wiht the good but this I can't accept!

Bad Breath

by: Anonymous

I had gastric sleeve surgery on Jan 19 and within a week my mouth was so horrifically malodorous I could have just died. I brushed my teeth about once an hour and had to use a dry mouth product and chew gum just to be able to stand it. In the weeks that my metabolism was in shock and breaking fat down so quickly it was just terrible. On week four I noticed it slowly subsiding. My teeth are very healthy and the post surgery side effect has totally passed. My breath and dental health is as nice as it ever was.

Ketosis is the primary reason for this outcome and three of my family members have had the procedure in 2015 and we all had this temporary annoying side effect.

I My water who is a teacher went from s size 22 to a beautiful size 6 in six months. Her husband who is a teacher and coach had lost 30 lbs since December 2014. I am an entrepreneur and RN and I have lost 24 lbs in four weeks. We are all three very happy with our results. Just amazing to wake up to a new body daily!! My surgeon was Dr. Mark Dominquez in Covington La and his process, skills, outcomes was far superior to my families that had a slidell la group do theirs.

Please seek Doctor Mark out and tell him his bubbly u MS Nurse / Patient referred you.

I was up walking in comfort in two hours after surgery and never had one single discomfort but the IV pain!! It's learning to eat to live and not living to eat!!

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