Brushing, flossing and all the other secrets that will ensure you never have to experience another embarrassing up close and personal moment
Do you stand miles apart from your friends when you're having a conversation because you're worried about bad breath - either yours or theirs?
It's been estimated that 50 per cent of us have halitosis or bad breath at some point in our lives.
How do you know you have bad breath? Ask a close friend or mum and dad for their honest opinion. If you're too embarrassed to do that, try licking the inside of your wrist, wait for a few seconds until the saliva dries up and smell it - take a whiff. That's how the front part of your mouth and tongue smells. How about the back? This will give you a good idea of how your breath smells to other people. Turn a spoon upside down and scrape a bit off the back part of your tongue, smell it. If it's pretty awful, then read on.
What causes bad breath?
Poor dental hygiene and gum disease. Bad breath is often caused by food that gets trapped between the teeth or collects on the tongue and around the gums. Partially digested food then rots and decays, making your breath stink. If you don't brush your teeth twice a day and floss every day, food particles stay in your mouth. These particles become fermented by bacteria and release smelly fumes in the process.