Smelly breath is more than just embarrassing. It can break up marriages, end friendships, and even drive people to suicide.
Halitosis affects one in four people and is usually caused by bacteria in the mouth and poor gum care.
But top dentist Dr Harold Katz has made it his mission to help, setting up The Breath Company two decades ago.
He said: “I have had clients who told me that bad breath caused their divorce.
“I had another who told me he self-harmed and nearly killed himself when he was nicknamed Stinky as a kid.”
There are millions of bacteria in even the cleanest mouth. Bad breath is caused when certain bacteria break down and release stinky sulphur compounds.
Foods, eating habits and medications – including antihistamines and high blood pressure tablets – can make things worse.
Here, Dr Katz shares his top tips for fresh breath.
Don’t skip brekkie
It is common for your mouth to dry out overnight and this is not good news for your breath.
Saliva can wash away smelly compounds that accumulate but if you don’t eat breakfast there won’t be enough to get rid of them.
Do drink green tea
This type of tea has antibacterial elements and is pH neutral, which is important as acidity in food and drinks such as coffee can increase sulphur compounds. So give the Americano a miss and have a green tea instead.
Don’t eat too much sugar
Sugar feeds the bacteria that make the sulphur compounds. So anything from chewing sugary gum to using mouthwashes with sugar can affect your breath.
Do use fluoride mouthwash
A build up of plaque, which is formed by bacteria, makes bad breath worse. So be sure to brush your teeth twice a day and use a fluoride mouthwash.
Fluoride builds up the tooth enamel, making it resistant to decay. Dental decay at the roots of teeth can result in abscesses, which add to the smell.
Don’t smoke
Aside from the obvious health issues, smoking dries the mouth, creating more of those sulphur compounds, which cause a smell.
Do speak to your GP
Ask for an alternative if your medication is contributing to your bad breath. People are often unaware that dry mouth is the number one side effect in three quarters of medications.
In rare cases, bad breath can be a sign of a health issue, such as diabetes, kidney problems ortonsillitis.
Don’t go mad on dairy
The proteins in dairy are gobbled up by that bad breath bacteria. So go easy on it.
Smelly breath test
Reporter Antonia had her breath analysed with Dr Katz’s halimeter, which detects smelly sulphur compounds.
She said: “Being an occasional smoker and having skipped breakfast I was already guilty of two bad breath-causing sins.
“I was told to stick out my tongue while a straw was placed near the back of my throat. It produced a halimeter reading of 94, which Dr Katz said was parts per billion of sulphide compounds. This was above the 30 reading for excellent breath. But lower than the triple figures that is cause for concern. And far off the maximum of 2,000 – where some of his worst patients have measured.
“Dr Katz said, ‘Yours could be better but it’s not at the point where someone would say your breath stinks.’ Well, that’s a relief.”
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