Many people (of all ages) have bad breath.
Sometimes it is only for a short period, and with
others it is persistent (always). It is estimated that
up to 50% of people have smelly mouth all the
time. You can develop halitosis even if you brush
and floss regularly – in fact, in most cases, bad
breath is caused by the gums and tongue – not
the teeth!
Bad breath is one thing that you might not notice
yourself, and no one finds it easy to tell you.
People will avoid you, and you can loose friends
easily. It is therefore important that you look out
for yourself every morning before you step out...
and yes, look out for your good friends too

What causes bad breath?
Bad breath can have several causes:
Most people's mouth do not smell fresh when
they wake up from bed. This is normal. If you
brush your teeth before going to bed, the early
morning smelly mouth will not be too bad, in fact
some people don't smell at all.
In most cases, bad breath is caused by bacteria
in the mouth breaking down bits of food.
Persistent bad breath is often a sign of gum
disease.
Eating strongly flavoured foods, such as onions
and garlic, can cause your breath to smell
unpleasant.
Smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol can also
causes bad breath.
Occasionally, bad breath is the result of an
infection or illness, or taking some kinds of
medication.

What can you do.
1. Good oral hygiene is usually enough to prevent
and treat bad breath. When you brush your teeth,
try to brush the back of your tongue, where it is
harder to reach.
2. Your dentist can advise you on how to improve
your oral health and can refer you for further
investigation if they think there may be another
cause for your bad breath.

How to find out if you have bad breath
1. Get a very good friend to be absolutely honest,
but do make sure they are a true friend.
2. A simple test you can do yourself is to lick the
inside of your wrist and wait for the saliva to dry.
If the area you licked smells unpleasant, it is likely
that your breath does too.

How to prevent bad breath
Steps you can take to prevent bad breath are all
outlined in your TOOTH CARE Page. If you still
have bad breath after ensuring that you are doing
your best with your teeth care, you definitely
want to speak to your dentist immediately,
because there could be an underlying problem
that needs immediate attention… So… call your dentist.