Halitosis is the technical term for bad breath, a condition estimated to affect 30 to 65% of the population.

Do you have bad breath?

For any individual the exact status of their breath can be difficult to ascertain. The reason for this lies in the fact that the oral cavity, the source of our breath, is connected to our nose by way of an opening which lies in the back of our mouth (back in the region of our soft palate). Since noses tend to filter out and ignore background odors, it filters out and ignores our own bad breath. This means it is quite possible for a person to have bad breath, yet not be aware of it.

Have you experienced any of the following?

Your bad breath is interfering with your social or professional success.
You frequently have a bad taste in your mouth.
People step back from you when you are talking to them, or they avoid direct contact with you. Somebody has commented on your bad breath, or offered you mints or chewing gum.
You experience a white or yellow film on your tongue.

If you answered yes to any of the above you likely have a chronic bad breath problem.