Bad breath is a problem that affects millions of people around the world. No one wants to have it — or smell it. Could it be that there are some remedies that actually make one’s bad breath worse?

Just like David Letterman’s top ten lists, there is a top ten list for things that make bad breath even worse. If David Letterman knew about this list … could he resist including it in his show?

1. Cleanser: believe it or not, some people think using a corrosive product like Comet cleanser will solve their bad breath. Needless to say, this is false! Household cleansers are very poisonous … and very dangerous. Unfortunately, some people have actually tried this and suffered needlessly.

2. Chewing gum: gives your mouth a quick sensation of freshness, but actually only masks the bad breath for a short time until the gum loses its flavor.

3. Ridiculous amounts of mouthwash: too much mouthwash will make the tissue in the mouth react negatively and cause dryness, which will lead to additional bad breath.

4. Excessive alcohol: dry mouth is a condition that occurs when alcohol is consumed. This dry mouth condition often creates bad breath.

5. Intestinal cleaning products: there are no products that can relieve bad breath that originates in the stomach, because bad breath doesn’t start in the stomach. Bacteria in the mouth is what creates bad breath in the mouth, pure and simple.

6. Piercing of the tongue: not only is the piercing site an open wound that never fully heals, the pierced area will allow bacteria to live and potentially combine into bad breath sulfur compounds.

7. Cute little breath mints: momentarily fills mouth with zings of flavor but only for a short time. Sugar candy can also subject teeth to acidic attacks which will increase the risk for cavities … leading to, you guessed it, bad breath.

8. Mouth rinses containing alcohol: the alcohol will significantly dry out the gum tissue and the rinse will only mask the bad breath, not solve the problem.

9. Chew tobacco: biggest concern is oral cancer. Can also cause gums to recede, increase possible bone and fiber loss that keep teeth in place. Such deterioration inside the mouth will cause significant bad breath.

10. TV commercial products: beware of products that do not have the ADA seal of approval. Items that are not tested and approved could do more harm than good. Consult your dentist with any questions or concerns.