More than 70% of people say bad breath is an instant turnoff. About 85% say it's the most important thing to avoid when you are meeting someone for the first time. And while bad breath can be treated and avoided, most of the times you don’t even know that you have it!

Bad breath, medically called halitosis is a common problem not only for teens, but also for everyone.

Bad breath has a variety of causes, including:

Bacterial infections.
Medications and medical conditions.
Post nasal drip.
Poor hygiene, you have to brush teeth more frequently.

In most of the cases, bad breath comes from the gums and tongue. Some bacteria in your mouth produce compounds that result in an odor.

Certain foods, such as garlic and onions, not only leave lasting odors in your mouth, but also get absorbed into the bloodstream. The odors are then expelled out from the lungs. Until and unless these foods are eliminated from the body, mouthwash, chewing gum, and toothpaste can only cover up the odors on the breath.

For some people, a dry mouth causes bad breath. Dry mouth can result from taking medicines for cold or allergies, or from antidepressants. It can also result from localized infections, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbances, or kidney or liver problems. But most of the times bad breath is the result of poor oral hygiene. In simple words, that means you don't brush or floss frequently enough.

Finally, and the most important, alcohol and tobacco cause bad breath.

Believe it or not, the most common method doesn't work to diagnose your own bad breath. Many people think that they can blow into their hands and smell their breath. That simply doesn't works at all.

Instead, try this. Lick the back of your hand, let the saliva dry, and then take the smell. What you smell there is your true breath.

Try this another good way? If you have a trusted friend, ask him or her to smell your breath. Parents can also tell you if you ask them.

Start by keeping your mouth clean: Your food supply is the food supply for bacteria. Although, you can try to kill bacteria by using mouthwash, this is only a temporary solution. The bacteria tend to grow back over time. Your best defense is to brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day, and floss once a day.

The rough surface of the tongue is home to a foul-smelling combination of dead cells, food debris, bacteria and the byproducts of bacterial digestion -- factors that all contribute to foul smelling breath. Be sure to brush your tongue with your toothbrush after you finish brushing your teeth.

Drink a lot of water throughout the day, to stay hydrated, so that your mouth produces more saliva. Saliva keeps your mouth hydrated. It contains oxygen and oxygen deters the growth of mouth bacteria.

Don’t rely on mint products as they only cover up the foul smell for short time. And after sometime, the foul smell comes up again.

Instead, go for cinnamons, a home remedy to get a fresh breath and give a lasting impression.

Author's Bio: 

More than 70% of people say bad breath is an instant turnoff. About 85% say it's the most important thing to avoid when you are meeting someone for the first time.