Many people have difficulty dealing with bad breath (halitosis). One reason for this is that they don't understand what causes bad breath; therefore, they can't make informed choices about treating it. This article divides the causes of halitosis into three categories and briefly describes solutions for each.

The first category includes temporary causes of halitosis. Dealing with bad breath due to these causes is relatively easy. Temporary causes of halitosis include foods such as onions, garlic, spices, strong cheeses and other strong smelling foods, smoking, coffee, alcohol and medications. The easiest cure is, of course to avoid these things. If you can't avoid them, brush your teeth frequently, floss, and use a breath freshener as needed. Mouthwashes and sprays, breath mints, gum, and natural preparations are available.

Dealing with bad breath due to the second category is more difficult and may entail significant medical intervention. This is halitosis due to some underlying medical condition. Not really halitosis at all, this includes peculiar odors on the breath due to organ disease (liver or kidney disease), malignancy (cancers of the upper respiratory tissues), diabetes (ketoacidosis), strept throat, or infections of the lungs or sinuses, to name a few. Some of these conditions are life-threatening and should be treated promptly - the halitosis is a secondary problem.

Finally, there is true halitosis, caused by bacteria living on the tongue. These bacteria are part of the normal community of microorganism that live in the mouth and it is virtually impossible to eradicate them, so dealing with bad breath of this type is a difficult and long term problem. Don't waste time on products that merely freshen the breath - they will not work for more than a few minutes if they work at all. Do some research and select a product that is designed to kill the odor-producing bacteria in your mouth. There are a number of such products available, both over the counter and from natural healers.

If you don't get good results with the first product you try, try another. These products are based on different approaches to the problem, and everyone is different, so one may work where another fails. Good luck with dealing with bad breath.