Poll finds women hate morning breath

A survey conducted by a manufacturer of specialty breath freshening products found that two of every five women fear that a date will have bad breath.

According to the poll, which was conducted among more than 1,000 UK residents, 41 percent of women said that they dread waking up next to a man who has morning breath.

Approximately one third of male respondents said the same.

By comparison, fewer people fear being stood up. One quarter of men reported worrying that a date will not show up, and just 6 percent of women shared that worry.

Also, fewer Britons were afraid of being naked in front of a date.

Clearly, halitosis is a significant hindrance to romance. The odor exuded by a smelly mouth comes from bad breath's volatile sulfur compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs.

Anaerobic bacteria create these molecules when the mouth dries out, as when the jaw falls open during sleep.

Bad breath may not just come from dry mouth. Tooth decay, gingivitis, sinusitis, post-nasal drip and tonsil stones may all lend breath a bad smell.

To neutralize this odor and have a halitosis-free date, it may be advisable to brush the teeth more often and rinse with a specialty breath freshener.