How to Tell if I Have Bad Breath

Did you know people, you or anyone with bad breath can't tell they have bad breath?

This is why those you tell often act shocked, it's not so much that you've told them its that they can't tell, they can't smell it.

Let's face it, we all get bad breath. It really is a situation we can learn to monitor easily.

This eliminates the embarrassment of having the same knock down bad breath you've experienced from others and yes your breath is often that bad as well.

The book to your right is a great resource serving as a reminder keeping your breath fresh and free of embarrassing odor. 

One is a little unique and one you've no doubt heard of but both work without doubt. The first is to simply ask someone if you have bad breath. You will need to have a face mask to do this next check. They are cheap and easy to keep on hand. You will see what I'm referring to as the products are available to the left. 

Places to Keep Face Mask

1. In the glove box of your car
2. In your desk drawer
3. In your locker at work or school
4. In you purse
5. Be creative to your surroundings

Simply place the mask over your face, I prefer the respirator type, breathe normally for a few minutes allowing your breath to circulate and you will notice the actual way your breath smells.

We all know the many causes of bad breath; spicy foods, alcohol, smoking, garlic, coffee with a combination of any on this list creating really bad dragon breath.  The basic prevention is to brush, floss and rinse on a regular basis.  Anytime you partake in one of the contributors of bad breath follow with brushing, flossing and rinsing.  Bits of offending foods get trapped in the spaces of your teeth creating an even more powerful stench as the day wears on.  The least you can do, if you can't brush, is to chew gum to free those offending food pieces.  If you smoke after eating anything it creates an offensive odor more so than just eating alone.  Alcohol works in the same manner. The best defense is to practice proactive maintenance daily as we all do and eat things that create bad breath.

Bacteria builds up in our mouths naturally, add offending foods, drinks and smoking to this and the pungent odors become intense. The natural bacteria in our mouth forms a film as if a small sponge is covering the mouth, tongue and teeth. This sponge like coating readily absorbs the odors of foods, coffee, alcohol, soda, and smoking creating a more intense bad breath. If you maintain a clean mouth the odors are less likely to hang around.

Brushing

The truth of the matter is most people brush their teeth far to quickly, approximately 30 seconds. This is not enough time to clean the entire mouth. As we learned in kindergarten we should brush for at least two minutes anything less just doesn't cut it.

Plus we should all brush our tongue as well, this is a breeding ground for bacteria. Flossing is vital as it gets those stuck particles from between your teeth causing bad breath. Rinsing is an added bonus.

Brushing more than once or twice a day is also a must. Be certain to brush, floss and rinse especially well at bedtime to rid the mouth of the days bacteria and morning to eliminate bacteria that grow over night.

Those are a combination of normal daily bacteria layered with a late day drink containing alcohol and smoking.  There is no way your coming up from that without having bad breath. Smokers get accustomed to their bad breath and don't notice it more so than non smokers.