How can I tell if I have bad breath and what can I do about it?

Nearly half of the UK population suffers from problems with bad breath, also known as halitosis, during some point in their life. Bad breath is the third largest cause of dental appointments. In most cases a person may have chronic bad breath but not be aware of it.


3 step personal analysis for bad breath

It can be hard to know if you have bad breath or not. Embarrassingly most of the time it’s the person next to you who notices it first. A fool proof method for finding out if your breath is at its best or not is to follow these steps.

  • Lick the inside of your wrist.
  • Wait for the saliva to dry.
  • If the smell that you get is unpleasant, it’s likely you have bad breath and need to do something about it.

Another way to test your breath is to lightly scrape the back of the tongue with a plastic disposable spoon and smell the residue once it’s dried. Home tests that use a chemical reaction to help test the presence of polyamines and sulphur compounds on the tongue swabs are also available, but there is limited proof that these tests actually help detect odour.

Keep in mind that breath odour changes in intensity as the hours in your day go by and it all depends on different factors like the foods you eat and if you smoke or drink.


What can I do about bad breath?

While mints, chewing gum, and mouth wash may help to temporarily rid your mouth of bad odours, they mostly only mask the bad smell for a short period of time instead of tackling it altogether. Practicing better oral hygiene is your first and best defence against the bane of bad breath. Brushing your teeth and flossing twice a day along with regular visits to your dentist and hygienist are key elements in preventing and treating bad breath.


Use CB12 to help neutralise bad odours

CB12 mouthwash is the best choice of mouthwash for you because it goes to work right away on neutralising gases in your mouth that cause bad breath. It helps keep your breath fresh for 12 hours and is perfect for twice-a-day use. Studies show that CB12 is proven to perform better against bad breath than about 18 other well-known mouthwashes.

CB12 comes to you in an easy-to-use packaging. It is different from other mouthwash products because it is based on a unique formula that binds chemically to tissues in the oral cavity and neutralises and prevents the formation of the Volatile Sulphur Compounds (‘VSCs’) that cause bad breath. Volatile Sulphur Compounds are made of three compounds: Hydrogen sulphide, Methyl mercaptan, and Dimethyl sulphide. These three are part of the natural digestive process but also cause bad odour. CB12 neutralises the gases and smell without harming the helpful bacteria. Hence, CB12 is the only oral care product that doesn’t just mask the smell of bad breath it helps prevent it!