Up until our science was established, the accepted approach for the treatment of bad breath was to kill the bacteria that cause the problem. This is exactly what commercial mouthwash is designed to do, and in fact many mouthwash are registered with that particular claim. One of the ways commercial mouthwash kills bacteria is by the alcohol (ethanol) in the mouthwash mix. The problem is that the bacteria being killed by the mouthwash, are part of your normal mouth bacterial makeup.

Alcohol-free Dentyl pH mouthwash is clinically proven to help combat bad breath for up to 18 hours. It the same pH as saliva, contains three anti-bacterial agents to remove oral bacteria and contains fluoride to strengthen teeth and prevent decay. An average of ?350 million is spent annually in the UK on mouth fresheners that simply disguise one odour with another and last less than 20 minutes.

Conventional mouthwashes only temporarily mask bad breath. The alcohol found in mouthwashes generally dries the mouth making it more susceptible to odour causing bacteria. Ask participating dentist s for a recommendation regarding a preferred mouthwash. This is often a common problem for people whose jobs require them to talk constantly. Talking dries the mouth which encourages bacteria that cause bad breath. Talking more can dry the mouth and proliferate more odour causing bacteria.

An average of £350 million per year is spent in the U.K. on mouth fresheners that do not work or are not used correctly. They simply disguise one odour with another that lasts no more than 15 minutes. Mouthwashes alone will not solve the problem. The treatment of halitosis is more complex and combines several approaches. However, our team recommend using a combination of Dentyl pH mouthrinse and toothpaste daily as part of your oral hygiene routine.

It's hard to do (All personal problems are hard to address) but try and be courageous and ask a close friend, preferably a partner with whom you are intimate, better still we highly recommend the tanita breath tester to accurately monitor such levels. They will normally give you an honest answer, providing you phrase the question correctly.

People may be unaware that they have halitosis, or think they have a problem when they don't. The best way to check is to ask a family member or close friend for their opinion. Alternatively lick your wrist, starting from the back of the tongue to the tip. Allow the saliva to dry for 10 seconds and then smell the area for any unpleasant odours.

The ADA cannot vouch for the claims the manufacturers of halitosis kits make. If you are concerned about their safety and effectiveness, you can ask your dentist if the products in the kit will be useful for you. Many antiseptic mouthrinse products, however, have been accepted by the ADA for their therapeutic benefits in reducing plaque and gingivitis and also have breath freshening properties.

Halitosis is caused by a variety of factors, including periodontal disease smoking, oral infections, poor home care, digestive problems, dry mouth and some systemic diseases. We carefully examine anyone with halitosis to determine the cause so that we can treat it properly.

The truth is that it is extremely difficult to judge this individually. You may be aware if your halitosis (bad breath) becomes severe.

If you notice people seem to draw away from you in conversation or if a partner seems reluctant to want to kiss you, then you may have a problem!

The degree of severity does depend on the cause. If you have long standing, untreated gum disease, then probably your halitosis will vary from severe to very socially unacceptable. Milder forms of gum disease (Gingivitis) may cause very few episodes of obvious halitosis. If you allow your mouth to dry (which is almost unavoidable during sleep) then halitosis tends to worsen. Some medications will also cause dryness of mouth (e.g. antidepressants, duretics).