5 Quick & Easy Bad Breath Tests You Can Do Right Now... As You're Reading This!
By
Tomas Caomhanach
Unfortunately (or,
perhaps, fortunately!), you can't smell your own bad breath.
Even if you cup your hand over your mouth and nose, and take a sniff right
after you breath out, you're really only smelling your own hand, not your
breath.
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| Quick & Easy Bad Breath Test |
That's because, despite the
fact that bad breath contains all kinds of nasty stuff that would make you
wretch if it came from someone else, the problem usually develops so slowly and
so gradually that you simply become used to the smell from yourself. Your body
becomes so acclimatized to the specific concentrations of nasty stuff in your
bad breath, that you simply don't notice it anymore!
That's not true for other
people though! They absolutely notice it. Even if they have
bad breath themselves, their body is only acclimatized to the specific
concentrations of nasty smells they themselves emit - not the stuff you exude!
In most cases, people only become aware of having a bad breath problem by the
reactions of those around them. If you notice people suddenly stepping
back when you come near, it's a good indicator that something is wrong.
That's a pretty embarrassing
way to find out though. So, if you think you have bad breath, but don't want to
go around asking people if you can breathe on them to find out for sure, you
might be interested in some simple bad breath tests you can do
right now...
1. The Hand Test:
Probably the easiest and
best-known way is to simply lick the back of your hand, and let it dry for 5 or
10 seconds. Then sniff it. This works because you've transferred some of the
'stuff' that makes your breath smell on to your hand, while removing your
actual breath (which you can't smell) from the equation.
2. The Gauze Test:
You could also wipe your
tongue with a large piece of gauze or cotton wool, and let that dry in the same
way as above. This works for the same reason (as licking your hand) but has the
added advantage of allowing you to check for a yellowish stain on it. If you
notice that, it's a very strong indicator of a bad breath problem.
3. The Spoon Test:
Take a regular spoon from
your kitchen, turn it upside down, and gently scrape it along the surface of
your tongue. Again, let it dry and smell it. This also works for the same
reason as above.
4. The Floss Test:
You can also take a piece of
dental floss (or dental tape) and run it between some of your back teeth. Let
that dry too, and then smell it. Although, in virtually all cases, the (bad
breath) problem doesn't actually originate from the teeth, there is still enough
'stuff' that produces the bad smell between them to give a good indication of a
problem. This method will also give you an idea of what your bad breath smells
like to other people.
5. The Mirror Test:
Look into a mirror, and stick
your tongue out as far as you can. Does your tongue have a white coating on it?
The intensity of this coating will give a reasonably good idea of the intensity
of your bad breath. Also, in general, the farther back (towards your throat)
that white coating extends, the worse the problem.
Also, another good indicator
of a bad breath problem is if different foods and drinks (like dairy foods,
alcohol, soda, and sugar) affect your taste. This includes alcohol-based
mouthwash.
It's possible to undergo a
very accurate scientific test at a specialist bad breath clinic too. There,
doctors will use special instruments, such as a 'Halimeter', to examine
and classify the chemical compounds present in your breath. However, these will
cost you several hundred (and, in some cases, severalthousand) dollars,
and are unlikely to be covered by any health or dental insurance plans. They
also have other drawbacks too: Certain foods such as garlic and onions produce
sulfur in the breath for as long as 48 hours and can result in false readings.
The instruments are also very sensitive to alcoholic drinks, so much so that
even using alcohol-bases mouthwashes will give inaccurate results. They also
lose sensitivity over time anyway, and require periodic recalibration to remain
accurate.
While all of the above are
excellent ways to test for bad breath, the simple truth is, if
you think you have bad breath, then you probably do: As
mentioned earlier, most people become aware of the problem by the reaction of
those around them. Humans are highly social animals and, as such, can
detect a negative reaction in another person from a mile away (even if, as
is the case with bad breath, that reaction is involuntary). If
people turn away... step back... and cover their nose and mouth when
you're near them, then the above tests probably aren't even necessary... you
can make a pretty safe assumption that you do have a problem!
The Bad Breath Report
Scientifically-Proven Method To
Cure Bad Breath At Home
www.TheBadBreathReport.com
DR. GARY SIGAFOOS
Follow @GarySigafoos on Twitter and do a “Like” at LajollaGumDiseaseCare Fanpage. If you're looking for an experienced periodontist to care for gingivitis and periodontial disease in La Jolla, contact Dr. Sigafoos, .
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