More than 60 percent of Americans have halitosis and over 35 million are afflicted with chronic halitosis. However, not all of bad breath is systemic in origin; some of it is caused by how fastidious a person can be when it comes to oral hygiene. Don't make the mistake of believing in the claims that over-the-counter products can cure bad breath; more often than not, these products just mask the unpleasant odor and fail to treat the root of the problem.

The bacterium found in the average mouth accumulates mostly on the person's tongue towards the back and is one cause of halitosis. The anaerobic bacteria feed upon food debris and then produce Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC). Volatile Sulfur Compounds have the smell of hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs! Bad breath odor can also come from certain foods after they are digested and this odor emanates from the lungs.

Fortunately, there are some easy remedies to combat halitosis:

Daily brushing is required. How you brush your teeth is also vital and many people do not know that there is a correct brushing method that will eliminate food particles wedged between the teeth. Brushing every day can eliminate much of bad breath. Undergoing regular dental cleanings also reduce the number of bacteria residing in your mouth. The white substance often found on the back of the tongue can be removed with a tongue cleaner. Proper diet is also essential in preventing halitosis.

Saliva has natural antibiotic elements that reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth. When our mouths dry out saliva production diminishes and halitosis increases. Therefore, if you were to chew gum to stimulate saliva production this would aid in decreasing the foul odor escaping your oral cavity. Another way to stimulate saliva production is to drink the recommended eight fluid ounces of water daily. Besides helping cut down on bad breath it is also good for your health.

If you are in a meeting or another public place that you are not able to brush your teeth after eating or when you feel the compulsion to irradiate bad breath a quick solution would be to simply take a drink of water and swish it around to loosen the particles trapped that the bacteria like to feed upon and then spit it out. Any action is better than no action!

Chewing all your food is very important and if, instead of junk food like candy, chips and cookies, you have fresh vegetables and fruits, these, too, help in preventing plaque build up and consequently bad breath.

Raw fruits and vegetables are an important source of Vitamin C, a deficiency in which can be one of the causes of bad breath. Smoking, too, destroys Vitamin C and so is doubly harmful.

You can also employ baking soda for brushing your teeth. The characteristics of baking soda are helpful in destroying odors. Hence, baking soda is placed in refrigerators and is sprinkled on carpets before they are vacuumed. There are many brands of toothpaste available that have baking soda and are not as bad as having to plunge your toothbrush in the baking soda box.

Then there's the water pik. A water pik helps to dislodge the food particles wedged between the teeth and is therefore beneficial in combating bad breath. You can buy a water pick that has batteries so that it is portable.

When purchasing mouthwashes look for those that contain Cetylpyridinium chloride and zinc chloride. A mouthwash that does not contain these ingredients will mask the odor for a limited amount of time but give no long lasting results to eliminating the odor of bad breath. Also Hydrogen Peroxide is a great rinse because it release oxygen and the bacteria in the mouth thrive in an environment without oxygen.