Does Your Breath Smell? 6 Easy Ways to Tell

By Georgina Sweeney

Does your breath smell? And if it does, how offensive is it? Read these 6 easy ways to tell whether you're ready for close conversation or a candidate for bad breath treatment.

1. REQUEST THE HELP OF A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE.

If you don't mind feeling a little self-conscious, the first way to check the freshness of your breath is to request the help of a friend or loved one. Simply ask them to smell your breath at different times of the day and give you feedback.

2. INVEST IN YOUR OWN KISS-ME METER.

If you prefer to test your own breath, there are both scientific and unscientific ways to do so. The first scientific way is to use a device appropriately called the Seju Kiss-Me Meter.

Maker of professional-grade toxic gas detectors, Seju uses its technology with this little device to pick up off-odor gases in your mouth. Feedback ratings are signaled by five little LED lights that tell you whether you're ready for close conversation or not!

Its reasonable price (under $30) and small size (1-3/4-by-1-inch) make it handy for pockets and purses and helpful in determining when you might need to freshen your breath.

3. USE A PORTABLE HALIMETERฎ.

The second scientific way is to use a Halimeter. This is a highly accurate, portable device that measures the concentration of sulfur emissions in your breath (the principal cause of bad breath).

According to the makers of the Halimeter:

a. At levels of 200-300 ppb (parts per billion), oral malodor would be noticeable by an observer standing close to you.

b. At levels of 350-400 ppb, the odor would be noticeable by an observer standing several feet away from you.

c. At 500-700 ppb, the odor would be more noticeable not because it is "stronger," but because it is more foul.

d. And at over 1000 ppb, the odor would linger for several minutes after you leave the room!

Check with your dentist to see if they have a Halimeter for use in their office.

4. LICK THE BACK OF YOUR HAND OR THE INSIDE OF YOUR WRIST.

If none of the above methods appeal to you, there are a few unscientific ways to see whether your breath needs immediate attention. One way is to simply lick the back of your hand or the inside of your wrist, wait 10 seconds, then smell it to see whether you can detect any off-odor. If you can, it means that the sulfur salts in your mouth have been transferred to your hand or wrist and other people will be able to detect your bad breath also.

5. RUN SOME FLOSS BETWEEN YOUR TEETH.

Another unscientific way involves using dental floss. Run some floss between your back molars, where old food particles tend to stay lodged. Then, smell the floss to get an instant odor reading. What you smell will likely be what other people smell.

6. PAY ATTENTION TO CHANGES IN TASTE.

Finally, if you notice an unpleasant or metallic taste after eating certain foods, such as dairy or sugar, or after drinking alcoholic beverages, it's likely that sulfur compounds are being produced and are emitting an offensive odor.

If any of these 6 tests prove positive (don't worry, it's estimated that 95% of the world population will be concerned with breath odor at some point in their life), you will need to take immediate steps to combat your breath odor before it becomes a serious problem for you and those around you.

To learn what causes bad breath and how to eliminate it in 7 easy steps, click HERE.