Periodontist suggests ways to check for bad breath

Because the mouth and nasal passages are connected to one another, it can be difficult to notice when you have bad breath. To overcome this situation, a dental health expert on NY1 News recommended several methods for detecting halitosis.

It is rare for strangers to comment on bad breath. Joseph Howe, the man credited for coining the term "halitosis," noted this trend as early as 1874 in his book The Breath and the Diseases Which Give It a Fetid Odor. It is simply difficult to rely on anyone but yourself for an accurate appraisal of your breath.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to notice when your breath smells. The human senses of taste and smell rely on one another, so being unable to taste oral odor usually means being unable to smell it, too.

Periodontist Greg Diamond told the news channel that most halitosis is caused by oral bacteria that accumulate on the teeth and tongue. He displayed a picture of a tongue coated with a particularly thick layer of microbes, giving it large brown stain.

To detect bad breath, Diamond suggested sniffing your used floss, as well as licking a cloth or the back of your hand and smelling that.

When halitosis becomes a problem, brushing the teeth and flushing out the mouth with a specialty breath freshener may reduce oral odor.