The bad odor that comes from the mouth, halitosis, is most times quite embarrassing.
Know that the bad breath is a sign that something is not right with your health.
It often comes as mild halitosis but if the issue becomes more permanent, then it should be checked by a doctor.
It could be a sign of intra oral or even external oral problems.
The intraoral problems will make the mouth have bad breath due to poor hygiene, teeth cavities, periodontitis, and stagnation of food in the mouth, eating the strong smelling foods such as raw onions or garlic, xerostomia which is also known as dry mouth, tonsillitis, other diseases like diabetes, cancer, kidney disorders and so on.
Other known sources of halitosis are pneumonia, sinusitis, bronchitis, gastritis as well.
It is easy to just test for halitosis right in your home.
When you exhale after your mouth and nose are covered by the hand, it will definitely give a bad smell if you are suffering from halitosis.
Most often people notice bad breath in the mornings.
This happens because of less salivary flow during the night while you are asleep and it simply disappears after the teeth have been brushed.
A long duration of smoking will also cause halitosis.
It is good to go for regular checkups at your dentist's to find out the cause of bad breath.
In case of constant halitosis, you would have to keep a list of foods you eat and the medications which you normally consume.
Also it would be prudent to inform your dentist if you have recently had any surgeries that would be of significance.
In case the dentist thinks there is nothing intraoral, he may refer you to a general medical practitioner to do more tests.
Once the doctors have diagnosed the right cause of the halitosis, they would put you on a treatment plan.
Remember to get on to good oral hygiene by getting rid of any dental diseases you might have and cleaning the teeth regularly to maintain fresh breath.
Make sure you brush the teeth at least twice a day and clean your mouth after every meal to minimize bad breath.
The experts in dental hygiene have advised that you brush your tongue too when cleaning the mouth as bacteria is bound to inhabit the area between the papillae.
When you use the mouth rinses, it provides extra protection from microorganisms.
Make the habit of using the dental flosses to reach the areas in between the teeth.
Tobacco smoking and chewing is extra dangerous so get your GP to help with advice on how to stop it.