We’ve all known people who are in need of a serious bad breath cure, whether it’s a family member or that co-worker who doesn’t get the whole “personal space bubble” concept. (C’mon, people, 4 feet back, please!)
Surely, if they knew how bad their breath was, they’d do something about it, right? Which probably makes you wonder: Am I one of those people? How can I tell if I have bad breath?
Forget blowing into your hand or packing your bags to join an extensive research study. Here are some quick and easy bad breath tests you can do right at home within mere seconds!
3 Ways to Tell If You Have Bad Breath
Bad Breath Test #1: Lick Your Wrist
One of the easiest ways to tell if you have bad breath is to lick the inside of your wrist, let your saliva dry for 10 seconds, then smell where you licked. Keep in mind, the lick test won’t give you the whole story. Most bad breath molecules originate from the way back of the tongue, not the front, which is fairly self-cleaning. So if your lick test is bad, it’s safe to say your actual breath (what other people smell) is even worse.
Bad Breath Test #2: Spoon!
No, we’re not talking about cuddling here. You’ll want to use a regular ol’ kitchen spoon to test for bad breath. The spoon test is super accurate because it gets to the way back of the tongue where all the odorous bacteria is. In fact, a study at the University of Buffalo of halitosis patients found that 80-90 percent of bad breath molecules originate from the back of the tongue.
The spoon test is easy: gently run an inverted spoon along your tongue from back to front. (Go as far back as you can before your gag reflex kicks in.) When you’re done scraping, smell the spoon. That’s what other people can smell when they talk to you!
Psst … Did you know that using a tongue scraper is one of the best (and cheapest) things you can do for your breath each day? To get the full scoop, check out The Truth About Tongue Scrapers.
Bad Breath Test #3: Ask Someone
The most accurate bad breath test can also be the most awkward, so make sure this is a person you trust, like your sweetie or BFF. Also, if you have a child, you know they are a great source of honesty (maybe a little too honest)! If your breath smells like a truckload of minty freshness, they’ll tell you. If it smells like their favorite villain from “Captain Underpants,” they’ll let you know that too!
Tip: for accuracy, don’t do this test immediately after brushing, as the smell of toothpaste could temporarily mask the real deal.
If You Have Bad Breath, What Now?
Finding a bad breath treatment that works for you doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. A few changes to your oral care routine, and BOOM, you could have the freshest breath on the block!
We’re talking simple changes like tongue scraping two times a day and swapping out your mouthwash for an alcohol-free one. (Alcohol is a sneaky little ingredient in store mouthwashes that actually cause more bacteria post-swish, therefore making your breath even worse than before … yeah, scary but true!) Check out more bad breath myths.
Dentists recommend the Ultimate Fresh Breath Kit. It’s 3 products in 1 awesome kit to give you long-lasting fresh breath, up to 6 hours at a time!
What’s Inside:
- Highest-rated tongue scraper on the market
- Alcohol-free, dye-free mouthwash
- Zesty, low-abrasion toothpaste flavored with natural essential oils
Order here and start acing all those bad breath tests. And, it’s not cheating to help others pass their bad breath test too, so be sure to share what you just read!
