How Do I Know If I have Bad Breath?

Having bad breath is no laughing matter. It can lead to severe problems with your personal and professional life. Just think about it. What do you do when you run into someone who has foul-smelling breath? You probably made the conversation as short as possible and escaped the first opportunity you had.

There are many stigmas associated with having bad breath, and most people would rather avoid being that person everyone else avoids because of the way their breath smells.

What causes bad breath?

Also known as halitosis, a number of things can cause bad breath. It can be caused by the bacteria that live in a person's mouth, and it can also be caused by the things people eat. In some cases, bad breath is caused by issues in other parts of the body like the digestive or respiratory system.

Cases of bad breath that are caused by an excessive amount of bacteria in the mouth can be addressed by improving the person's oral hygiene and using antibacterial mouthwashes to kill the bacteria that causes these odors. Proper oral health also helps to alleviate bad breath caused by the foods eaten by a person.

When bad breath is caused by an underlying health issue like respiratory disease, the health issue needs to be treated before the bad breath can be eliminated.

How to tell when you have bad breath

1. Ask a friend or family member

Having honest friends and family members can be beneficial when it comes to figuring out one has bad breath. They can take a sniff of the person's breath and give an honest opinion. Patients can also ask friends to look for a white coating on their tongue. This is a sign of a type of bacteria species that cause odors.

Those who are worried about what others will think can take advantage of the confidentiality that comes with medical professionals like dentists. Dentists can also help patients figure out how to deal with bad breath.

2. Try the Sniff Test

People are free to try to smell their breath themselves. An easy way to do this is to lick the back of the hand and allow it to dry. The patient can then smell it to check for odors. Patient's can also gauge how their breath smells by using floss to clean the teeth at the back of the mouth and smelling it.

3. Saliva test

It is also possible to detect the odor in the mouth through the saliva. This usually applies to bad breath caused by eating foods with intense aromas. Things, like having dry mouth and feeling dehydrated, are also signs of poor-smelling breath. It is best to brush or rinse the mouth with water after consuming foods with strong smells.

Snacks like minds and gum can also be used to freshen the breath after eating. 

Are you dealing with bad breath? Schedule a consultation with one of our dentists and get it treated right away.

What are you waiting for? We are ready to help. 

Call (808) 450-2101 today to reach Diamond Head Dental Care.