Many rumors circulate from time to time about the cause of chronic bad breath, or halitosis. One can almost rule out the theory of bad breath coming from places other than the mouth. The esophagus is collapsed normally and air can only escape in the form of the occasional burp. If your mouth and teeth are healthy you should first check the dorsum, or that area on the back of the tongue.

Whatever the cause of your bad breath be the most common remedy i.e. mouthwashes is not only ineffective, it is counterproductive also. A mouthwash is a blend of flavors, a bit of dye, and too much alcohol.

While the claims that mouthwashes kill the bacteria is true, it is also true that the bacteria quickly come back again and in greater force than before one would have used the mouthwash. But in addition to being ineffective, mouthwashes are also being dangerous.

Too much mouthwash is irritating to the gums, the palate, the tongue, and the mucous membranes of the mouth. In a small percentage of people, who are susceptible, and those who smoke and drink, heavy use of mouthwash can cause certain types of cancer.

Other ways to fight bad breath
If one does not wish to use anything in order to freshen up the breath, one can put a few drops of peppermint oil in a glass of water and rinse. Bad breath, or halitosis, has a number of causes, the most obvious one being bad dental hygiene.

If one doesn't brush your teeth regularly and well, bits of pieces of food will become lodged between your teeth and will decompose, causing a bad odor. One probably already knows that you should brush your teeth carefully twice a day, but there are some other measures you can take to fight bad breath.

Conclusion
Brushing the tongue is probably the single most effective thing you can do. In various researches, it has been shown that brushing the tongue alone is a better guard against bad breath than brushing only the teeth.

Brushing both the teeth and tongue can help reduce bad breath due to poor dental hygiene almost entirely. One does not need to scrub your tongue. Just gently brush the tongue with a soft-bristled brush to wash away the microscopic bits of food that become trapped in the tiny protuberances.