This is not a topic people like talking about. Would you tell your friend her breath smells? Right. Secretly everyone fears that they may have bad breath and they wonder if this was part of the reason the last relationship ended.

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At certain times everyone has bad breath, or halitosis. Early in the morning no-one smells like a peach blossom and a couple of hours after experimenting with the new garlic chicken recipe, most people could blow someone away at a few paces.

Not the sufferer who detects the problem
But what to do if bad breath plagues you during other times? The frightening thing is that it is usually detected by someone other than the sufferer themselves. This thought is quite damaging to one’s sense of self-esteem and social confidence. But remember that a bad taste in your mouth does not always translate into bad breath.

Possible causes
Bad breath is usually caused by gum infection, which in turn is caused by a build up of plaque. Inflammation of the gums, or gingivitis, could also be a culprit here, but it only causes bad breath in acute cases. Stomach disorders such as hiatus hernia can also create an oral odour. If you have a tonsil infection, or an infection of the respiratory tract, it may also male your mouth smell.

Other possible causes include hormonal changes, a dry mouth, crash diets and constipation.

What the doctor and dentist can do
Your doctor can determine whether you suffer from any of the aforementioned conditions. Once the original problems are sorted out, the bad breath, which is usually a side effect, will also be gone.

Your dentist can check for any presence of gum disease or gingivitis. Regular flossing and toothbrushing will also make a difference.

So maybe it is time to ask a friend to give you an honest answer and then to trot off to your doctor and dentist to put an end to this embarrassing problem.

(Susan Erasmus, Health24)

South African Dental Association (SADA)
 

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