Survey: Fresh breath is key to having a 'Spring fling'

It's Spring, the time when a young person's fancy turns to love. This March, millions of young Americans will be keeping an eye out for Mr. or Miss Right. They'll have their noses attuned, too, since according to a new survey, youth consider halitosis a horribly embarrassing turn-off. On the flip side of things, the poll found that fresh breath is definitely the way to go.

The survey, which was conducted by Wakefield Research, found some interesting things. Of course, they all boil down to one simple fact: Fresh breath is attractive, and bad breath is totally repulsive. Quite a shock, huh?

- According to 18- to 30-year-olds, oral odor can put a real damper on your Spring fling. Nearly 60 percent of them said that they'd had a romantic moment fall flat because of bad breath.

- Not only is halitosis disgusting, but it's also humiliating. Three-quarters of young adults rated oral odor as more embarrassing than granny panties.

- Really, it doesn't matter what you wear; when you have bad breath, your confidence is shot, said 71 percent of respondents.

- No wonder halitosis can send a first date down in flames. According to the poll, 86 percent of teens and young adults can't see beyond oral odor on a date. For comparison, one-half of the respondents said they could find it in their hearts to ignore rumpled clothes and sweaty palms!

So what can you do to ensure you've got fresh breath this Spring? Start by drinking plenty of water, avoiding smoking and sucking on a specialty mouth-wetting lozenge. Then, if your oral odor still won't buzz off, pull out the big guns: a specialty oxygenating mouthrinse and some oral care probiotics!