If you suspect that you have bad breath you may not need to undergo any type of testing.  Your friends and family may have already made it quite clear to you that you have a problem!  But if you're wondering whether or not you truly do have a problem, there are some common bad breath detectors to test for halitosis that you can perform at home, or that your dentist may be able to have you use.

Many people advise blowing into your cupped hands and then smelling that area as one of these bad breath detectors to test for halitosis but this is rather ineffective.  The minute your breath is in the air the odor is typically eliminated.  You can lick your hand and then smell the saliva but this too is usually ineffective.  As a matter of fact, many of these tests are rather ineffective; the only way they work is if you ask someone to actually smell your breath as it escapes your mouth and see if that is bad. 

You can use handheld bad breath detectors to test for halitosis that are often available and retail stores for a better reading.  These devices test the amount of hydrogen sulfide in your breath and give you a reading based on that.  They often look like the breathalyzer meters that police officers carry. 

If you're very serious about using bad breath detectors to test for halitosis, you should consult your dentist.  Most have much more sophisticated equipment to actually test your breath overall and the substances found in your mouth.  A halimeter is one of these bad breath detectors to test for halitosis that your dentist might use.  What is handy about this device is that not only will it measure the reading for bad breath but it can also dissect the compounds in the breath to detect what may be causing it. 

Sometimes there are certain enzymes or chemicals that are released in the breath that can signal problems in the digestive system, too much of one substance in the diet (such as with high protein diets), or even note if you have an infection.  Don't be shy about asking your dentist for the use of any of these bad breath detectors to test for halitosis as he or she can then often isolate the cause of the bad breath and then recommend a cure as well.