Bad Breath Halitosis Forum

alright... so I dont where to begin really. Uhm. I dont know if i have bad breath or not. I constantly chew gum when i'm around people because of my intense fear that I do. No one has reacted negatively around me or told me i have a problem. 10 years ago when I was 15 a kid told me my breath stank, but i was being mean to him. I dont doubt it did though i dont even know. My dad once asked me if i was brushing my teeth when due to an odor when i was about the same age. As far as I can remember, those are the only complaints i have ever had. but now that i chew gum constantly, i guess i wouldnt get complaints? does anyones bad breath cut through gum? I didnt used to chew gum obsessively, but i remember the fear to some extent since about 8th grade when i suddenly realised i started to get an odd taste in my mouth.

I guess... flash forward, I dont remember thinking about it much or being too worried for about 5 years probably. I mean it was something always in the back of my mind i guess but i wouldnt worry about having gum if i was going to be around people. for the past 3 years i can not speak in front of people without having gum or having used some kind of mouth-minty-something-thing recently.

My mouth gets dry and i get this taste in my mouth. i do the hand lick test and the spoon on the back of the tongue test and sometimes i dont smell anything, othertimes i smell something that isnt exactly ...bad, but not good? just ...weird. just not ... uhm a smell. not offensive to me really.
so i guess i'm wondering... those of you who KNOW you have bad breath and it has been confinrmed, when you do these tests is the smell reallly bad? what does it smell like? is there another test i can do without asking someone that can let me know for sure? what do i do? how can i know for sure if this is real or not? ifeel like i'm crazy and i'm too afraid to ask anyone. i 'm too afraid to go without gum for a day and see how people react. i mean i just dont know. i dont tknow if this makes sense i just need some advice. do those of you that KNOW you have bad breath have the same mouth symptoms that i do? i'm very aware of myself to the point of anxiety and panic attacks sometimes. very low self esteem for many reasons and i wouldnt be surprised if i'm halitophoic and i wouldnt be surprised if ihad bad breath either. i just dont know. please just help.

Having bb for the past yr and a half, Ive only been directly told that i did by someone else probably about 5 times. I can't smell my own breath but I guess the certain taste that I do have in mouth probably doesn't smell good. I know I have bb mainly because of people's reaction to whenever I talk. Especially when I'm in a car with someone. Windows always get cracked open whenever I start talking, Everyone in the car are always pefrectly fine with the windows up before I start talking but as soon I start talking windows go down immediatly.

Iv'e heard from many sources that it is difficult to smell one own's breath, so I believe for you to know if you have bb or not, you are going to either have to let someone smell it and give you an honest feedback or you are going to have to rely on people's reaction. Keeptrying09 have given different ways to find out people's reaction on your breath, such as purposely talking really close to a stranger on the bus or something and seeing if they react negatively to your breath. Or you could get in a car with someone, keep the windows up and start blabbing and if they cant take it and crack a window then you'll know if your breath smells bad or not.

I think the only way to find out if you have bb or not, is counting on people's reaction or having someone give you the honest truth about it.

thanks for the advice. only problem is i'm so insecure i dont think i could even do that to a stranger. gahhh i just want to knoow but i 'm not willing to let anyone find out if i do. what's worse is that i'm going to be playing a role in a student film soon meaning i'll have to talk close to people and will have to go wtihout gum or get really really good at hiding it in my mouth.

The only ways to tell if you have BB is to ask a close confidant who would tell you the truth or engage with a stranger (e.g. a store cashier) without any strange mannerisms (like covering your mouth, or standing farther away).

I don't really think asking someone for an honest feedback on bad breath is such a good advice.

First, they might not tell the truth because they don't want to offend you.

Second, breath odors vary greatly throughout the day, if you've been taking any treatments, if you've been taking mints or gum. You'd need someone constantly with you all day for a week or so constantly checking your breath.

Thirdly, it is an embarrassing thing to ask. Personally I could never do it.

I think the inverted spoon technique is a great self test. If it comes negative and people don't usually react to your bad breath, you are likely fine.

If you truly suffered from chronic halitosis, chewing gum would not help very much and you'd still get reaction from speaking face to face with others.