As concerns about bad breath go, so go halimeter sales

When are Americans most concerned about bad breath? Is there a season in which you are the most likely to seek diagnosis and treatment for your halitosis? Industry experts say that, if halimeter sales have anything to do with it, then the holidays are when yearly concerns about bad breath reach their peak.

The halimeter is a medical device designed to detect oral odor. Most halimeters do so by measuring levels of volatile sulfuric compounds on your breath. Since bad breath is primarily caused by bacteria that digest food particles in your mouth and generate sulfuric compounds, high levels of these molecules are a good indicator of halitosis.

Rose Stransky, a manager in corporate halimeter sales, said that the Christmas season typically sees the most sales of breath-measuring devices. Seasonal consumer concern over bad breath may filter up to dentists and affect their purchasing habits, she added.

Since Christmas can be a time of heavy indulgence in food and alcohol, ridding the mouth of odorous compounds may make family get-togethers less embarrassing for individuals with bad breath. Brushing your teeth and swishing with a specialty breath freshening may wash away halitosis and leave the mouth moist and odor-free.