Even people who religiously and meticulously care for their teeth and gums can still suffer from bad breath. The food we eat is one contributing factor but there are others. People who suffer from certain health problems such as diabetes may suffer uncontrollably from bad breath and there is little respite for these people. Gum disease or a build up of plaque can't always be removed by regular brushing and unless you floss and rinse it is unlikely you are getting rid of all these odor creators. You should floss every time you brush and buy a tongue scraper. Anything that cleans the tongue is good as a tongue scraper but there are dedicated scrapers available from most stores.

If you have a health problem that is the cause of your bad breath then you should consult your doctor and not your dentist. Obviously, your dentist will be able to tell you if your bad breath is caused by your mouth or by another problem and is your likely first port of call.

Chewing gum only really serves to mask the smell of bad breath and not fix it, despite adverts to the contrary. The sugar in gum causes cavities and these cavities are like little shelters for bacteria. If you eat gum with sugar replacements you may find that your body reacts badly to them and you end up with digestion problems that can also cause bad breath.

Consider changing your diet. If you regularly eat garlic or onions then your breath is likely to smell regardless of whether you brush and floss regularly or not. Eating sweet foods will produce cavities and other problems where bacteria can hide and rot giving bad breath.

Don't just brush your teeth. Use dental floss to get rid of the bacteria that collects between your teeth and use a tongue scraper to get right to the back of the tongue. A special tongue scraper is better than the back of a special toothbrush because of the ease of use. A toothbrush is cumbersome in comparison to these items and unless you give your teeth and mouth the whole works you are unlikely to get rid of bad breath.