Don’t Get Caught with Bad Breath!
Face it: having bad breath stinks, both literally and figuratively. Someone with offensive-smelling breath (halitosis) may feel uncomfortable when talking to others, but what’s worse is when they don’t realize there is a displeasing smell coming from their mouth. This often occurs because the nose adjusts to filter out the smell coming from the back of the mouth, so the odor becomes natural to the person’s senses. To make sure you don’t have embarrassing bad breath that might be bothersome to others, here are some tips on how to test yourself for halitosis:
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Ask Someone’s Opinion: The most obvious way to determine if you have bad breath is to ask someone else to smell it for you. If you have someone you are comfortable with, such as a friend or relative, ask for their honest opinion and breathe on them.
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Examine Your Tongue: Stick out your tongue as far as you can and look at the back of it in a mirror. If you see that your tongue is a whitish or grayish color, this may be bacteria that causes a foul mouth odor.
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Lick Your Hand: This may sound strange, but it is effective. Lick the back of your hand and, once it has dried, smell the spot where you licked. If it smells bad, this may be an indicator that you have bad breath.
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Cotton Swab Your Tongue: Dentists often use this trick. Using a cotton pad or swab, wipe the surface of your tongue. If the cotton turns a yellowish color, it may be a sign that the compounds associated with foul odors are present in your mouth. You can also smell the cotton to see if you may have bad breath.
- Floss and Smell: Floss the back of your teeth and then smell the floss. If it smells unpleasant, you most likely have bad breath. If it does smell, you can also test how strong your breath is by slowly moving the floss further from your nose as you smell it to determine how far of a distance your halitosis reaches.
To keep your breath fresh and clean, it is important to visit your dentist regularly and brush and floss daily, and brushing your tongue will also help eliminate bad breath. For all of your dentistry needs, please contact the office of Dr. Sands at (310) 273-0111 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you soon!