#1: How To Tell If You Have Bad Breath
Know this: Smelling your own breath in cupped hands does NOT work! It is a MYTH. Here are a few ways that do work…
The Spoon Test: Invert a teaspoon and use it to scrape the back of your tongue. Do it gently so that you don’t gag. If there is a whitish coating on the spoon, sniff it. It will most likely smell bad if there is a coating. OR, if you don’t have a spoon, you can lick the inside of your wrist, let dry for 1 minute and then sniff. The inner wrist is not constantly handling things and isn’t often in contact with much so it can give you a true, unadulterated reading of your breath. This works because if you have halitosis, sulphur salts will be transferred from your tongue to your skin.
#2: How To Tell Someone Else If They Have Bad Breath
Approach 1: "The Sit Down"- talk to your friend in a private setting and be direct. Begin the conversation by telling them that you believe there is something they would want to know and that you aren’t sure if they are aware of the problem.
Approach 2: "The Less direct/Sensitive" - Delicately bring up the issue by carrying mints with you. Take one yourself first and then offer one to your friend who has bad breath. If the person doesn’t accept then it’s acceptable for you to offer a nudge by simply saying, "I really think you should." Hopefully they’ll take the mint AND the hint!
#3: How To Prevent And Cure Bad Breath
- DON’T eat obvious foods like garlic, onions and fish but also stay away from chocolate, candy and sweets because sugar helps bacteria reproduce in your mouth.
- DON’T drink beverages like coffee and soda-they contain bad-odor-releasing compounds that get absorbed into your blood stream. The odor is given off in your breath until all the food is out of your body.
- DO stay hydrated! A dry mouth is a breeding ground for offensive-smelling bacteria on your tongue! Drink water because it contains oxygen, a natural enemy for stinky bacteria. Saliva also has oxygen, so chewing gum, which helps produce excess saliva, can help with bad breath.
- DO eat crisp fruits and veggies like celery, carrots or apples-chewing them produces more saliva in your mouth and the firm texture helps scrub away bacteria.
- DO eat parsley - it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. Chew it raw or toss a few handfuls in a juicer and sip the juice when you need to refresh your breath. Orabrush W/Tongue Foam - Your tongue is like a sponge, with 90% of bad breath coming from it. Orabrush bristles are designed after the surgeon’s scrub brush, the same brush they use to clean bacteria from their hands to cut you open! Toothbrush bristles, however, are designed for the smooth surfaces of your teeth, not your tongue! The tongue scraper actually collects and removes the bacteria and residue generated from brushing, helping cure bad breath. In fact, brushing can give you bad breath because bacteria and residue generated and moved around gets absorbed!
Get additional tips from lifestyle and beauty expert Kym Douglas at KymDouglas.com. Follow her @KymDouglas and like her on Facebook.
