Nola Reporter

• Untreated sinusitis can result in complications that affect many parts of the body aside from just the nose.
• Bad breath is a common problem that sinusitis sufferers have to deal with due to nasal drainage and mouth breathing.
• There are minimally invasive treatment options available that can treat sinusitis.

Bad breath is one of the many complications that can evolve from sinusitis. Dr. Gregory Pippin of ENT & Allergy of New Orleans said that this is due to mouth breathing, which leads to decay in dental structures.

"If you're not breathing through your nose, that can exacerbate any decay to your dental structures," Dr. Pippin told the Nola Reporter. "It can also cause malocclusion issues. So all of these things can contribute to that problem with oral health."

"Oftentimes," he said, "people will think their bad breath is because of their teeth and not because of their sinuses."

Physical symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath or fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic.

People who suffer from chronic sinus problems are more likely to breathe through their mouths, but mouth breathing can lead to oral health issues, including bad breath, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Breathing through the mouth disrupts the regular flow of saliva, which typically plays a role in keeping your mouth clean.

People suffering from sinusitis might experience congestion, facial pain, headaches, toothaches, nasal drainage, a reduced ability to smell, fever, and bad breath, according to NHS Inform.

People experiencing symptoms that haven't improved for more than a week should see a physician.

An ENT specialist might recommend a saline solution or over-the-counter medication, and if those don't help symptoms improve, they might prescribe antibiotics or a corticosteroid spray. If those treatments do not resolve the sinusitis symptoms, the ENT specialist might recommend a sinus procedure.

There are sinusitis treatment options available that are safe, non-surgical, and minimally invasive. One of these options is known as a balloon sinuplasty, in which doctors insert a guide wire equipped with a small balloon into the nostrils and navigate it to the area of blockage, according to Nuffield Health. The balloon is then gently inflated enough to open the sinuses. Opening these passageways leads to patients achieving a greater quality of life.