It is often hard for a person to tell if they have halitosis. And undetected, bad breath can lead to many awkward social situations. So, for that person who just had a tuna sandwich and is feeling uneasy or for the person with a constant bad taste in their mouth, stick around.
Everyone has had bad breath at some point. Halitosis could be caused by pungent foods and drinks, medication or a respiratory problem. This kind of bad breath is easy to get rid of. Bad breath that does not go away in spite of daily brushing and flossing could be a sign of a health issue, dental or otherwise.
To deal with halitosis, a person first has to confirm they actually have bad breath. Here are some ways to find out.
Because a person gets used to their own breath, the best way to confirm halitosis is to ask for a second opinion. The concerned person should ask someone they are comfortable with to smell their breath.
A close friend or family member will let a person know if their breath smells, secure in the knowledge that the relationship will withstand a bit of honesty.
A home testing kit will come to the rescue of a person who is too shy to ask another human if their breath smells. These bad breath kits are available at chemists everywhere and are easy to use.
A popular version of the kit comes as a strip that is applied to a person's tongue. Bad breath is confirmed if the strip changes color. Some brands of bad breath strips can also detect large amounts of bacteria.
The wrist and the back of the hand do not constantly touch surfaces and handle objects. So, lick the wrist or the back of the hand and wait 10 seconds. Then sniff the dried skin to check for a bad smell. If a person has bad breath, some of that smell will be deposited onto the skin.
The same test can also be done by licking the back of a spoon.
A halimeter is a device that measures the sulfur concentration of a person's breath, and most dentist offices use them to test for smelly breath. A person can get a dental checkup and confirm if they have halitosis.
As an added advantage, the dentist will proceed to find, and possibly treat, the underlying cause of the patient's bad breath. Talk about killing multiple birds with one stone.
A person who constantly has a stale taste in their mouth probably has bad breath. So does a person with a white coating on their tongue, or a person who smokes, suffers from dry mouth or has issues in the digestive or respiratory tract.
These signs and risk factors usually imply chronic bad breath. A person only needs to confirm their halitosis using a second method.
Knowing whether you have bad breath is the first step toward fresh breath. An efficient way to diagnose and treat halitosis is to go straight to the dentist. If you have bad breath, they will start you on a treatment.
Request an appointment in our Nampa dentist office here: https://www.nampaidahodentist.com.
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