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 Halitosis is bad breath, a common strong sour smell in the mouth. People who have this disorder suffer real embarrassment, because it leads other people to avoid the person with bad breath.
Halitosis results from multiple causes. Often this problem will result from small particles of food getting stuck between the teeth or gums. If a person does not brush or floss properly, or does not brush or floss frequently enough, this can also cause bad breath. On occasion, food will be stuck in other places inside the mouth, including the surface of the tongue, tonsils or near the nasal cavity.
Halitosis can also be brought on by medications being taken, or even as a result of gum disease, liver disease, respiratory disease or diabetes. Smoking or excessive use of alcohol will also result in bad breath for those who smoke or drink.
Halitosis is most commonly caused by bacteria that result from eating certain foods, drinking alcohol, and some medications that people take for some conditions. Brushing and flossing regularly is the best way to combat these bacteria. Sufferers of halitosis should use a fluoride toothpaste, and make sure they visit their dentist regularly as well to help find ways to fight halitosis.
Getting rid of halitosis is important to deal with right away, because it makes others feel uncomfortable as well, being near someone they care about with such a problem. Some people might not realize they have bad breath, and it's hard for those close to the person to find a way to tell them of their bad breath. It can be an extremely difficult topic to talk about. Instead of talking about it, people will simply begin to avoid the person who has the halitosis condition.
When someone is not aware of their bad breath problem, they might start thinking about experiences they've had recently. For example, have they noticed people avoiding them? Or that dates become disinterested after one or two dates? Of that people avoid kissing them? For each of these possible situations, if the person suffering from bad breath hasn't been told by any friends, then hopefully they are looking for other reasons they are being avoided.
The person others are avoiding as a result may wonder why they are sitting home alone. This is of course an extreme illustration of the problem, as usually, a person knows they are suffering from bad breath. One way to do a test on their own for halitosis is to cup a hand near the mouth, breathe into it, and then move the hand over the nose to see if there is a bad smell. Any usual smell needs to be addressed and action taken. To find out what steps to take to eliminate the halitosis, it's best to talk to one's dentist for a solution, or visit the Internet to see more options.
 If you know someone who is suffering from bad breath, you might want to find a good way to talk to the person about it. One way is to talk about someone you both know that may also have halitosis. It's possible that someone suffering from halitosis doesn't know how bad their problem is, and is asking why other seem to avoid coming close to them. They might express this by talking about why people don't want to see them lately. This is a good opening to discuss the problem.
To be able to tell people about having bad breath, you should start out by saying that you know the person is intelligent, or talented, making sure they know this isn't saying they are a bad person. This can lead to a suggestion of additional hygiene habits that might work. This is usually a very sensitive subject, that most people are embarrassed to talk about and hear about. You might look for more information about how to talk to someone on sensitive subjects.
It's always better for someone to become aware of their problem on their own, often by realizing why others stay away, or from a dentist or doctor. If it seems like the problem is the person's own idea, in this way friends don't have to risk their friendship by taking about this difficult subject.
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