Struggle with bad breath? Dentists share what actually works (and what doesn't).

There remains at least one truth we can all agree on, even in these deeply polarized times: No one likes bad breath. No one wants to have it and absolutely no one wants to smell (or, good lord, taste ) it on someone else. However, as much as we all revile bad breath, it's a lot more common than you'd think. Studies suggest that halitosis impacts upwards of 50% of the global population. Around 65% of adults in the U.S. occasionally experience it, and at least 40 million Americans (some estimates say double this number) trail chronic stench breath from sea to shining sea. That's a lot of malodorous mouths.

Bad breath is mainly caused by what you'd imagine: poor oral hygiene, gum disease and cavities. But there are also an array of lesser-known causes that need to be treated in specific ways. 

"Believe it or not, bad breath can often be attributed to the way we breathe," says Beverly Hills, CA dentist Dr. Daniel Naysan (Mariah Carey is among his clients). "Dry mouth is one of the main factors of bad breath, and mouth breathing is another one. Mouth breathing, the habit of breathing through the mouth instead of the nose, creates a dry environment in the mouth directly linked to bad breath."

Naysan explains that dehydration, sinus conditions, specific medications and even certain healthy, seemingly innocuous foods can also impact the way our breath smells. "We all know that garlic and onions can contribute to bad breath, but other veggies like broccoli and cabbage break down into sulfur compounds that negatively affect the breath, too," he explains. "High-protein foods like sausage and meatballs break down into ammonia and ketones, which also have an impact."

How to tell if you have bad breath 

As a self-conscious-to-the-point-of-paranoid person, I asked Naysan if people who have bad breath always know it and how to sort out definitively if you do. "A great way to check if you have bad breath is lick the inside of your wrist, let it dry for 10 seconds and then smell it," he says. "If it smells sour, rotten, metallic or like 'old coffee,' that's your true breath odor." 

Naysan suggests another way of checking your breath is by "smelling" your tongue."Take a spoon, gently scrape the back of your tongue and smell what's on it," he says. "Another bad breath test is by flossing your teeth and smelling the floss. Last, the final resort could be to ask your spouse or a close friend if you have bad breath. In my experience, spouses never lie."

5 unexpected ways to fix bad breath

Before repeatedly reaching for gum or mints (more on this below), Naysan says there are actually loads of more targeted and effective ways to treat a malodorous mouth. 

"One great tip few people know about is to rinse your mouth with a mix of salt and baking soda [combining 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a cup of lukewarm water]," he says. "This can create a more alkaline environment in the oral cavity while killing odor-producing bacteria and reducing tongue biofilm." 

I pressed Naysan to share even more of his bad-breath-eradicating tips — and, boy, did he deliver. 

Stay hydrated and keep your saliva flowing

As if you needed another reason to tip back that water bottle: "Dehydration can definitely cause bad breath," Naysan says. "Dryness in the oral cavity disrupts the oral microbiome, kills the good bacteria, and elevates the number of harmful bacteria, which is responsible for the bad breath. The bacteria then release volatile sulfur compounds, which are the main cause of bad breath. Saliva essentially washes away the odor-producing bacteria. Hence, if there is no saliva, then there will be a smell."

If your mouth starts feeling a bit dry on a date or other breath-sensitive occasion, Naysan suggests sucking on an ice cube. "The cold ice helps trigger the salivary glands," he explains and suggests that lozenges also work, but opt for a sugar-free version with xylitol.

Avoid these popular breath savers (and try this instead)

"I tell my patients daily, 'avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes!'," Naysan explains. "Mouthwashes with alcohol remove the good and bad bacteria, making our mouths drier and more susceptible to bad breath. Believe it or not, some bacteria in the mouth microbiome is beneficial to us."

Naysan also laments constant gum chewing and/or regularly popping mints for eradicating bad breath. "Both feed bacteria from the sugar, release acid and can also cause dry mouth long term," he says. And don't even get him started on breath sprays which, he says, "coat the mouth with a perfume but don't remove the bacteria. It's like spraying cologne on dirty, smelly clothes."

Here's what he recommends instead.

Use a daily nasal rinse

"Nasal rinses, like the ones made by NeilMed, help because about half the causes of bad breath come from the post-nasal drip," Naysan explains. "Basically, mucus drips onto the tongue and the bacteria digests it, which releases the aforementioned sulfur gas, which essentially causes the bad breath." 

Know your food triggers and act accordingly

Naysan says that, while it's nearly impossible to avoid all foods that cause bad breath, if you're trying to keep your exhalations acceptable when socializing, enjoy them in moderation. "If you can't avoid them, consider bringing floss when you're out to give your mouth a quick refresh," he suggests. 

Consider mouth taping at night 

Last, Naysan recommends mouth taping while you sleep to help cure chronic bad breath. "Mouth breathing dries out your mouth which leads to bad breath," he says. "We want our mouths to be moist, so we can produce saliva to wash away food particles and keep things as clean as possible."