Bad breath, or Halitosis is a pretty common ailment or condition, and probably turns people away from those that have it faster than if that person had passed gas but, not always. It is difficult to be in a close conversation with a person that has bad breath. It is immediately nauseating. One often feels like they will throw up if they don't get away. Controlling ones response and getting away is difficult to do without embarrassing that person or seeming to be rude and uninterested in the conversation, especially if it is your boss, a superior or perhaps your lover. So, how does one handle it.

First of all you should understand the causes of bad breath, because when you are suffering with bad breath, it can affect your personal life as well as your professional life. Most people have the worst breath in the morning when they first wake up. You may be okay for a few hours after you brush, but as the day progresses, the stink of bad breath may creep slowly back into your mouth and make the people you deal with cringe.

Sometimes bad breath is caused by the food you eat such as garlic or onions and you will probably notice It right after you have eaten. Other causes are smoke from cigarettes or cigars and alcoholic beverages.

Some people have chronic or persistent bad breath. This is usually a medical problem. These people usually have good oral hygiene and don't know that they have bad breath, or if they do, they may not know what to do about their condition.

But, the most common cause is from a bacterium that is naturally present in your mouth that feeds off food particles left over from when you last ate.

Most bad breath situations can be taken care of by taking good care of ones teeth and perform good oral hygiene. People who know that they have a problem with foul breath should recognize the fact and take care of the problem to the best of their ability. If they can not handle the problem on their own they should seek professional help.

When a person is faced with speaking or dealing with another person who is unaware of their halitosis it is important to address the situation rather than get away from it, especially if it is constant or chronic. Sometimes a person has a medical problem that causes them to have bad breath and they are completely unaware of the odor in their mouth or the medical problem. By telling someone they have halitosis a person may be saving another person's life ? at least their social life. This may be a difficult conversation to initiate but it is important.

One way is to tell them without being direct is to bring up the subject by asking them if you have bad breath. Say your mouth tastes like maybe you do. You might find that you do. Perhaps they will ask if they too have bad breath. You will have to get a snoot full to test, but then you can tell them they do. If they consistently have bad breath, you can add that they seem to have it frequently. If doing this is embarrassing, and you have some mints or gum, take some out for yourself and offer them a piece. The mints or gum may clear the air for awhile, and perhaps they will take the hint. If the above approaches don't work and this is someone you associate with frequently, you will have to be direct and just come out and tell them they have bad breath and how often. If their bad breath is frequent tell them so and suggest they see a Dentist or Dental Hygienist.

Don't shun your friend. Remember, we all have bad breath from time to time.

Richard Prosser