[Getty Images Bank]
[Getty Images Bank]

A woman who visited a doctor after noticing a nail-polish-remover-like smell coming from her mouth was diagnosed with a dangerous diabetes complication.

Alice Dogruyol, 49, of London, was told by her boyfriend one day that her breath had an unusual odor, according to the Daily Mail and other foreign media outlets.

She began brushing her teeth more frequently and paid closer attention to her oral hygiene, but the smell would not go away.

"I was told my breath smelled like nail-polish remover, and I could actually taste a similar chemical sensation in my mouth," she said.

She later began losing weight as well, prompting her to see a doctor. The physician diagnosed her with Type 1 diabetes along with diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious acute complication of the disease.

Alice said the bad breath disappeared after she started insulin treatment and has been gone for years.

The foul odor Alice experienced is believed to have been caused by diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis occurs when the body lacks sufficient insulin and cells cannot use glucose as an energy source.

When this happens, the body breaks down fat instead of glucose to produce energy, and byproducts called ketone bodies accumulate excessively in the bloodstream.

Acetone, one type of ketone body, is expelled through the breath and produces a sweet, sour odor reminiscent of nail-polish remover or rotting fruit.

Left untreated, ketoacidosis can acidify the blood, leading to loss of consciousness, shock and, in severe cases, death.

As this case illustrates, anyone experiencing persistent volatile breath odor accompanied by unexplained weight loss should seek medical attention for a thorough evaluation.


123@heraldcorp.com