TRUE OR FALSE: Do I have bad breath?

MANILA, Philippines – When you want to make a good first impression and feel confident about presenting yourself to others, fresh breath would probably be one of the things you’ll check before anything else, right?

Bad breath or halitosis can be a turn off especially when you meet new people for the first time or even when you converse with friends. But did you know that bad breath is also an indicator of other oral health problems? 

If you think only food and beverages can cause bad breath, think again. Plaque build-up on your teeth, gum disease and even tooth decay can cause bad breath. But this is easily preventable once you are aware of its causes and put more care into your mouth.

So if you want to feel fresh and look good, work on your oral hygiene and be more vigilant in checking if you have tooth decay or gum problems, which could be causing bad breath. It can also be a symptom for underlying medical conditions such as stomach and lung cancer, heart failure and kidney failure.

Keeping a healthy mouth and practicing good oral hygiene will always be the best solution to all oral problems. You can forget about embarrassing situations or failed first impressions due to garlicky or stale breath.

Take this quiz and test your knowledge on bad breath and what may cause it. This way, you can easily prevent it in the future. 

Images of chewing gums on blue background, removed plaque on incisors from patient’s lower denture, a young pretty woman teeth extreme closeup photo, taking medication, young asian woman with glass of water takes pills, isolated on white, bacteria cells science 3d illustration, cough woman sneeze nose, young woman checking her breath with her hand, asian man brushing teeth in the morning in bathroom, garlic and onion, fresh fruits and vegetables, astonished young Asian man covering his mouth with hands, surprised girl in red on white background, thumbs up mixed race girl in red on white background, girl in red with smelly gesture on white background, girl in red with smelly gesture on white background all from Shutterstock.