Do You Know What Causes Bad Breath?

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  • Question 1/16
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    Eating more apples and oranges can improve your breath.

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    Eating more apples and oranges can improve your breath.

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    Eating more fruits and vegetables may decrease bad breath. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, which can help keep your mouth moist. Saliva is nature's way of keeping your breath fresh.

  • Question 1/16
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    Halitosis is:

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    Halitosis is:

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    If you have a chronic problem with bad breath -- are a lot of people mentioning it to you lately? -- it might be time for a trip to your dentist.

  • Question 1/16
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    Garlic can make your breath smell bad even after you’ve brushed your teeth and rinsed with mouthwash.

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    Garlic can make your breath smell bad even after you’ve brushed your teeth and rinsed with mouthwash.

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    After being digested, a smelly substance in garlic is absorbed into your bloodstream and then transferred to your lungs, where it is expelled as a gas -- making your breath smell! Brushing your teeth and rinsing with mouthwash only temporarily hide the odor.

  • Question 1/16
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    What ingredient in green tea shows promise as a treatment for bad breath?

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    What ingredient in green tea shows promise as a treatment for bad breath?

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    There’s growing evidence that the polyphenols in green tea can protect drinkers against cavities and bad breath.

  • Question 1/16
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    How long a piece of dental floss should you use?

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    How long a piece of dental floss should you use?

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    The American Dental Association recommends using 18 inches of floss, wound around one of your middle fingers, with the rest wound around the middle finger of your other hand, to best floss your teeth.

  • Question 1/16
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    If I have bad breath, my child is more likely to have bad breath, too.

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    If I have bad breath, my child is more likely to have bad breath, too.

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    Children are not more likely to have bad breath if their mothers had bad breath, according to a study in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry journal. On the other hand, there was a clear connection between frequent tooth-brushing and reduced breath levels of smelly gases called volatile sulfur compounds.

  • Question 1/16
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    If you brush, floss, and rinse every day, you probably won't have bad breath.

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    If you brush, floss, and rinse every day, you probably won't have bad breath.

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    Bad breath can be a symptom of a medical condition, including a respiratory infection, diabetes, or liver or kidney disease. If your dentist looks at your mouth and your bad breath isn’t coming from a problem with your teeth or gums, you might have to see your doctor about one of these or some other medical condition.

  • Question 1/16
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    Eating hamburgers and steak can worsen your breath.

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    Eating hamburgers and steak can worsen your breath.

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    Eating red meat can worsen your breath; eating less meat may improve your breath. The decay of the leftover bits of proteins in meats and cheese can create odors in your breath.

  • Question 1/16
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    You don’t need to clean a baby’s teeth.

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    You don’t need to clean a baby’s teeth.

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    A cavity can develop in even the smallest and newest teeth. Infant gums can be cleaned with a soft cloth. When the first teeth appear, clean them with an infant toothbrush and children’s toothpaste.

  • Question 1/16
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    The amount of saliva your mouth makes:

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    The amount of saliva your mouth makes:

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    Normally, saliva washes particles of food out of your mouth, so people with dry mouth may have bad breath because they still have food particles stuck in there. The medical name for dry mouth is xerostomia.

  • Question 1/16
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    Some medications can make your breath stink.

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    Some medications can make your breath stink.

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    About 400 prescription drugs and some over-the-counter meds cause dry mouth. The lower amount of saliva contributes to an overgrowth of bacteria, which can produce an unpleasant breath smell.

  • Question 1/16
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    You may have bad breath if you have trouble with your:

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    You may have bad breath if you have trouble with your:

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    Bad breath, a sore throat, trouble swallowing, and fever are all symptoms of tonsillitis, an infection of the tonsils (the oval-shaped nubs of pink tissue on each side of the back of your throat).


    Debris caught in your tonsils also can be a factor in bad breath. So can those smelly gray or yellowish deposits, called tonsilloliths or tonsil stones. Gargling may help ease the problem.

  • Question 1/16
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    After flossing, it’s important  to:

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    After flossing, it’s important  to:

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    Rinsing after flossing helps remove the debris loosened by the floss. Rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash to help kill bacteria that cause bad breath.

  • Question 1/16
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    Could someone with dentures get bad breath?

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    Could someone with dentures get bad breath?

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    Even though they're not "real teeth," they can harbor bacteria and food particles, which cause bad breath. If you can remove your dentures, brush them and soak in a disinfecting solution overnight.

  • Question 1/16
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    Bad breath you can't get rid of and gums that bleed easily are symptoms of:

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    Bad breath you can't get rid of and gums that bleed easily are symptoms of:

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    Mild gum disease, or gingivitis, can give you red, irritated gums and smelly breath. It's easy to fix this early condition with a cleaning at your dentist and better daily care at home.

    If the infection gets worse, gums can pull away from your teeth. In the most advanced stage, the bone that anchors your teeth breaks down.

  • Question 1/16
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    When you have bad breath, keep a log of what you eat because:

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    When you have bad breath, keep a log of what you eat because:

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    Maybe pastrami is your problem, or that expensive cheese you like. In any case, a log of what you're eating can help your dentist figure out what’s going on.

  • Your Score:

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    Share your score:
    Your Score:

    You correctly answered out of questions.

    Results:

    Great job! Bet your breath smells really sweet.

    Results:

    Not bad. You know quite a bit about keeping your mouth and teeth clean.

    Results:

    You might want to brush up on your dental knowledge (and give those teeth a good brush, too).

Sources | Reviewed by Michael Friedman, DDS on June 10, 2016 Medically Reviewed on June 10, 2016

Reviewed by Michael Friedman, DDS on
June 10, 2016

IMAGE PROVIDED BY:

Beauty Photo Studio / age fotostock


REFERENCES:

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: "Evaluation of Halitosis in Children and Mothers," "Pediatric Oral Health Information for Parents."

American Dental Association: "Bad Breath (Halitosis) Overview," "Bad Breath (Halitosis) Overview: Dentist version," "How to Floss" "What is Gum Disease?" "What You Should Know About Bad Breath."

FamilyDoctor.org: "Halitosis: Causes and Risk Factors," "Tonsillitis: Symptoms."

Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library: "Diabetes and Periodontal (Gum) Disease."

Merck Manual: "Halitosis," "Xerostomia."

Pubmed.gov: The National Institutes of Health, "Green Tea: A promising natural product in oral health."

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