Fetor Hepaticus
Fetor hepaticus, otherwise known as the ‘breath of the dead,’ is also one of the symptoms of liver damage resulting from severe liver diseases. It is characterized by the distinct strong breath that smells musty or sweet. Fetor hepaticus is yet another symptom of severe liver damage. It is the resultant symptom of liver scarring and poor function. When the liver fails to filter out and flush toxic substances from the body, it causes scarring and portal hypertension, making it difficult for the blood to flow through and get cleaned in the liver.
Because portal hypertension is caused by the liver failing its function to clear out these toxic substances, dimethyl sulfide or sulfur substances get backed up in the veins surrounding your liver before making their way to other parts of your body. It typically ends up in the bloodstream before reaching the lungs and, eventually, the mouth. These traces of sulfur substances make their way through the mouth when you exhale, resulting in the distinct smell associated with fetor hepaticus.
