Many people have questions regarding their breath. Many are unable to tell if they have bad breath. Often times, you will hear a friend talk about someone else's horrible breath, yet never tell the other person. A simple technique one can perform on their own, is to take a bad breath self-test which involves a few simple steps:

1. Take a dry, clean unscented cloth and retract the tongue
   with one hand and scrub the furthest part of your tongue for about 5 seconds. This should include about 4 good scrubs. Wait approximately 30 seconds and smell the cloth. If it has a bad smell, it may signify halitosis.
2. Take a piece of unwaxed, unscented floss and floss the upper or lower posterior teeth. Usually 2 to 3 teeth should be sufficient. Wait about 30 seconds and smell the floss. Again, if it has a smell one may have halitosis.
3. Lick the back part of your hand ( not the palm side), for about 5 seconds. Wait about 30 seconds. If you smell a bad odor this too may indicate halitosis. These are some of the simple techniques one can use to help determine if they have bad breath. By brushing , flossing and gently brushing your tongue and visiting the dentist regularly, you may reduce the level of bad breath. If this does not help, your dentist can place you on an anti-halitosis program to help alleviate the problem.