It is easy to feel self-conscious about your breath. After all, no matter how bad it might be, there is a good chance no one will tell you. Fortunately, in most cases, bad breath is a fairly simple problem to cure or at least keep at bay. And in other cases, it can provide your dentist or doctor with important clues as to what else may be going on in your body.
Causes
Bad breath typically stems from the foods you have eaten, with bits of it sticking around and breaking down--rotting, in effect--between your teeth, on your tongue and around your gums. Certain foods, such as garlic, onions and certain spices, cause halitosis by another route, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. After they are digested, their oils make their way into your bloodstream and to your lungs, and the odor comes out in your breath--sometimes for as long as three days. Gum disease can also cause an odor.
Identification
You may not be sure whether you have bad breath. One technique for testing is to use a cloth to scrub the tongue for about five seconds, then wait 30 seconds and smell the cloth, according to Advanced Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, a practice with locations in New York City and New Jersey. A bad odor suggests that you have halitosis. Another method is to floss a few teeth with unwaxed, unscented floss, then check for odor on the floss. Finally, you can lick the back of your hand for approximately five seconds, wait 30 seconds, then sniff it.
Solutions
Oral hygiene is generally your most powerful weapon against bad breath. Brushing and flossing, and even using a tongue scraper, can remove food particles before they have a chance to contribute to halitosis. Regular visits to a dentist can help you to pinpoint "food traps," such as faulty restorations, overhanging fillings and gum disease and get them corrected, notes Dr. Stuart Greene, a dentist in Temple, Texas. Mouthwash can help, but its effects are short-lived. If you have an event or appointment and want to make sure your breath is fresh, avoid foods that you know are problematic for you.
Expert Insight
Bad breath may not be as common as people think, according to Greene. In talking with patients, he finds that "almost everyone worries about bad breath." But generally, he cannot detect it on examination. "The conclusion, reinforced by many years of practical experience," he writes, "is that bad breath isn't all that common."
Warning
Sometimes bad breath signals a more serious condition. You should see a doctor if dental care does not fix your halitosis. Lung abscesses and chronic lung infections can cause bad breath, as can metabolic disorders, certain cancers and certain types of organ failure. according to the Mayo Clinic. The smells associated with particular conditions are often quite distinctive--a urine-like smell if it is kidney failure, for example, and a fishy smell if it is liver failure.
