Myths About Bad Breath

Bad breath can be the one thing that causes you to hesitate before snuggling with someone special or whispering those sweet nothings into someone’s ear. Bad breath can be a major problem in many aspects of life.

The good news? Most bad breath can be prevented and controlled with a little education and good hygiene. The bad news: there are several widespread myths floating around out there that will not help you solve the bad breath problem at all.

Myth 1: People Can Accurately Smell Their Own Breath

Countless people have tried to smell their own breath by cupping their hands up to their mouth and nose. It is a fact that we cannot tell if we have bad breath because we become used to our own odors. Many times, we don’t expel bad breath until we talk because the bad breath originates at the back of the mouth. This bad breath is only pushed forward out of the mouth when we begin to speak.

So how does one know if bad breath is being expelled from our mouth? The easiest way is to have someone smell your breath. Choose this person wisely: make sure they’re unflaggingly supportive (but truthful). Another option is to take a cotton ball and use it to wipe the middle of your tongue. Then sniff the ball for any unpleasant odor. Contact a dentist if a more accurate bad breath test is desired.

Myth 2: Bad Breath Comes From the Stomach

Some people are under the assumption that bad breath comes up from one’s stomach. There may be a miniscule percentage of bad breath created from stomach and digestive problems, but for most people the bad breath originates in the mouth. The mouth is a playland for bacteria that feed on mucus and food particles that in turn create the smelly bad breath compounds.

Myth 3: Just Brushing Can Eliminate Bad Breath

Most people with bad breath follow normal oral hygiene procedures. Still, it’s possible to brush your teeth religiously twice a day and still have bad breath. The problem is that most people do not properly brush their teeth. In order to completely clean all teeth surfaces one should brush for about 3 minutes. Most people will only spend about 45 seconds brushing their teeth, which is not nearly enough time to rid the mouth of bad breath causing bacteria.

Brushing and flossing properly may still not be enough to eliminate bad breath. Often, the odor causing bacteria can hide on the tongue’s surface. Even though this is not a common American practice, if you’re having an odor problem, it’s very important to brush the tongue to get rid of all the offensive-smelling bacteria hiding in the tongue’s surface.