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Help for an embarrassing problem

	Lots of people get bad breath at some point. You may get it for a short time after eating strong-smelling foods like onions, or first thing in the morning. Or you can have long-lasting bad breath. Turn to ConsumerReportsHealth.org for treatments that can help.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org for the best and most up-to-date expert research and evidence about treating bad breath. Bad breath can be embarrassing, but there are treatments that help.

Bad breath is annoying, but it is often easily prevented once you are aware of the problem. Consumer Reports Health is here to help with expert evidence and advice about how to treat it.

Key points about bad breath

• It’s hard to know yourself if you have bad breath. A family member or close friend may tell you.
• You can get a rough idea of whether your breath smells bad by licking your wrist. Wait a few seconds for it to dry and then smell your wrist. That tells you how the end of your tongue smells.
• Long-lasting bad breath is usually caused by a problem in your mouth. But some medical conditions elsewhere may cause bad breath. These include sinusitis, tonsillitis, and some lung or stomach problems.
• For nine out of 10 people, bad breath is caused either by gum disease or bacteria that grow on your tongue. Gum disease is caused by a coating on your teeth (plaque) invaded by bacteria. If you have gum disease, your dentist can help you with treatments.
• You may have bad breath because your mouth is dry. Some medications reduce saliva production.
• To reduce the chances of having bad breath, brush your teeth and use an anti-bacterial mouthwash twice a day, see your dentist regularly, drink enough water, eat regular healthy meals, and try to breathe through your nose.
• If you are prone to having bad breath, avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and eating spicy food.
• You may think you have bad breath when you actually don’t.
• No one treatment for bad breath has been shown to work for sure. You may need to try several different things, or a combination of treatments.

As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for you. We'll also help you sort through the best research and the most effective treatments for over 100 conditions and illnesses that may affect you and your family.