The WhiterSmiles breathe confidence test

Want to know if your breath is fresh or not? Try this simple test but be warned you might get a surprise.

Lick your wrist with the back of your tongue (do not be caught doing this you may look a little strange!). Allow about 30 seconds for the saliva to dry and then sniff your wrist. Whatever you smell is what people speaking to you will experience. If you are not sure that you like what you discover, have a look at some of our other blog postings.

So you have already tried The WhiterSmiles breath confidence test and If you are not keen on what you smell then you may need to indulge in a little tongue cleansing. However, for a variety of different reasons bad breath is often more difficult to pin down. It can vary at different times of the day and for different people so a negative lick test might not be enough to confirm that you don't have bad breath at other times!

No one is particularly good at smelling their own breath as our nasal receptors become used to, and then stop registering, smells that they are exposed to for prolonged periods. There are discreet hand held monitors that can be purchased cheaply that are very accurate at detecting some (but unfortunately not all) of the chemicals in bad breath. Unfortunately, the best device at detecting bad breath is right under your nose.

If you think you may have bad breath then the best (but sometimes hardest) thing to do is to ask someone in the family or a friend to use their nostrils to confirm your fears. John Booth a dentist in Edinburgh says, ?If the prospect of asking a friend or family member is just too embarrassing then ask your dentist to check for you. We work with patients' mouths, teeth and gums every day so we are happy to help our patients with these problems?

Try this simple fresh breath quiz- answer the following True or False

1.Bad breath comes from the stomach

2.Bad breath comes from the lungs

3.Mouth rinses cure bad breath

4.Various types of breath freshening sprays can be used to cure bad breath

5.Anyone who thinks that they have bad breath does

Answers.......

1.Bad breath comes from the stomach: false this occurs in only a small number of people with very obscure medical conditions.

2.Bad breath comes from the lungs: false, again this occurs only very rarely

3.Mouth rinses cure bad breath: false, mouth rinses, by themselves, will only mask bad breath without getting rid of the problem. Very often, the mouthwash will in fact make the problem worse rather than better due to high levels of alcohol that dry the mouth. Only two types of mouth rinse are useful in addition to professional care when treating bad breath: To find out which two ask your dentist.

4.Various types of breath freshening sprays can be used to cure bad breath: false, such sprays will only mask the smell for a short time rather like using perfume or after-shave to mask body odour.

5.Anyone who thinks that they have bad breath does: false, the fear of having bad breath is recognised in some individuals who may not have bad breath at all. This can be quite debilitating for those suffering from it and cannot readily be treated by a dentist.