The repercussions of bad breath aren’t as severe as you think they are. They’re worse! People avoid you; climbing the career ladder at the workplace seems like an increasingly difficult task and of course, you lose out on relationships. The sad part for you is that it’s tough to tell if you have vampire breath, because your sense of smell adapts to your own odors. Unfortunately, your neighbors sniff sense doesn’t adapt to your stinks and that’s adapt to your stinks and that’s where the problem begins. Here are some ways. to test your breath and gauge how bad it is before someone else does.

The floss: Work a strand of flavor less unwaxed dental floss between your back molars and give it a whiff. If it smells like rotten eggs, you’ve got a problem on your hands. (and in your mouth!). The smell actually is from plaque, which is a thin film of microorganisms, which everybody has to some extent. But the stronger your plaque smells, the more likely it is your breath stink too

The tongue: Stick out your tongue. If it has a thick white coating comprising debris, bacteria and food particles that favors and ideal environment for volatile sulfur compounds, your breath is probably a knockout. Rub the back of your tongue with a clean towel. Does it smell like sulfur? Bingo.

The saliva: This is the least accurate method, but will do as a last resort. Lick the inside of your wrist, allow it to dry and then smell it. If it stinks, you know how your breath is or rather shouldn’t be!

The halimeter: If you want to know for certain, ask your dentist to hook you up to a Halimeter, which will measure the concentration of sulfur compounds in your mouth that produces halitosis or bad breath and determine if your breath stinks.

Bad breath is due to a variety of reasons; oral bacteria odoriferous foods and smoking being the key ones. Clean your mouth after every meal as a habit. See your dentist regularly; he/she will guide you in maintaining better hygiene and help you get stink.