Why do People Keep Offering you Mints? Could it be that your Breath Stinks?

Bad breath (aka Halitosis) is very common, you may have it, and not even know. And believe it or not, it is not possible to smell your breath by cupping your hand, breathing into it then smelling. All you are clearly doing is smelling your hand. That is because humans are genetically wired in a way that makes it impossible to smell your own breath - it is a function referred to as Acclimation. Acclimation is necessary, because without this hallmark, our sense of smell would be permanently muffled by our own odors and scents.

There are numerous ways in which you can go about smelling your own breath, and most can be done at home. The most detailed methodology of bad breath checking is one that can't be done at home. You will need to visit a clinic that specializes in bad breath and oral problems and they will use a Halimeter to evaluate the level of sulfides that live in your mouth.

Why Sulfides? Sulfides are questionably the root cause of bad breath. Everyone has the same bacteria in their mouth, and the bacteria that we have in our mouths need to be there. These bacteria assist humans in digestion by breaking down proteins found in specific foods, mucous or phlegm, blood, and in diseased or "broken-down" oral tissue. But for some people, the bacteria reacts differently with these proteins and the resulting factor is known as "volatile sulfur compounds" (VSC). These sulfur compounds, also known as Sulfides, produce the odor.

Following are a number of methods for testing your breath at home. They are quite simple and in no way are they as compelling as using the Halimeter, but they can give you a very good idea on just how bad your breath is.

The quickest, easiest and cheapest way to determine whether or not you have bad breath is to ask someone you absolutely trust. Tell them that you want a 100% candid answer, and get them to check your breath at sporadic times of the day, because there will be some fluctuations.

Simply wiping a piece of cotton gauze on your tongue and then inspecting it for coloration and smell is also a very simple and effective test for bad breath. If you sense an odor then you're more predictable a halitosis sufferer. And, if you notice a yellow/brown decoloration on the gauze, you have surely got a heightened level of sulfides and are very likely to have extreme bad breath.

Now this method might sound a bit strange, but you can actually check your breath by licking the back of your hand. The process is simple - just lick the back of your hand and let it dry for 10-15 seconds - then smell it. If there is an odor present, then you've got bad breath. The justification for this is simple. When you lick the back of your hand, the sulfides travel from your tongue to your hand.

Using dental floss or tape can tell you in a matter of seconds if you have bad breath. In fact, it not only gives you an indication of whether your breath wreaks, but it can give you a clear formula on how to annihilate the smell too. That is, floss your teeth, paying specific attention to the rear teeth, then smell the floss - if you pull out chunks of food and they smell, then you'll know right away that your breath won't be too blissful, and you will also get a quick mindfulness of the fact that if you keep on flossing you might just get rid of the bad breath.

The simple tongue-coloration test doesn't actually involve smelling anything, but it can give some very good insight into your bad breath problem. All you need to do is stand in front of a mirror and extend your tongue out as far as you comfortably can. What you are looking for is if there is any coloration, like white or yellow/brown, and if there is, then it is possible that you have a build-up of sulfides and as a result you'll have halitosis.

In summary, there are countless methods for testing yourself for bad breath without visiting a doctor or breath clinic. But you do need to keep in mind the fact that these approaches in no way compare to the effect of using a specialized tool like a Halimeter. Moreover, Gum, Breath mints, breath strips and mouthwash are NOT the answer. They are just part of a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry which provides a very short 'facade' for the real cause. The real answer to solving the halitosis problem is to minimize the concentration of sulfides that exist in your mouth. Do this and people will stop offering you mints and breath strips, and they will most likely engage in longer conversations with you.

Article Source: http://www.christiannotepad.com

Don't be a victim of bad breath and find a halitosis treatment that works for you. Halitosis treatments such as general oral hygeine can eliminate the embarrassment and shame in social and business situations. Please visit www.badbreath-halitosis.info for more information.