Halitosis is not the sentence of doom that people have come to think of it as. That being said, I would like to direct my advice to the families, friends and colleagues of people who are blissfully unaware of their problem with bad breath. Whilst it is understandably embarrassing to have halitosis: embarrassing enough that people are worried to speak when others are facing their general direction, some people do not reach this point of shame, because they do not know there is anything wrong. However, telling someone that we basically cannot talk to them, kiss them or even be around them when they are breathing, seems like a fate worse than death. Luckily there are many  preventions and cures for halitosis. Families, friends and colleagues who are subjected to people with halitosis can find subtle ways to prevent those around them from having bad breath without the person in question ever being aware of such said efforts.

The foods we eat, such as red meat, garlic and onion are a cause of halitosis. On digestion, the fumes from these foods are absorbed into our lungs and exhaled. It can take days to breathe out all of the fumes, and by that time, those same foods have probably been ingested again.  If we know someone who is unaware that they have halitosis and we naturally do not want to tell them, family members of said person can make sure that the meals they eat are void of any foods causing halitosis. And we can make sure that they eat more fruit and vegetables, making exhaled air smell sweet.

Food stuck in between our teeth and bacteria from the foods we eat building in our mouths, cause halitosis. The food between our teeth, if left starts to rot and the bacteria starts to grow, making our breath worse as days go by. Brushing alone is not enough to leave our breath fresh, we need to brush in conjunction with flossing and mouth wash. Family members need to make sure that there is floss in the house and encourage everyone to floss. Buying mouthwash is also a plus for people who are lazy to brush their teeth when they are tired. It is quick and easy and can get rid of much of the bacteria causing bad breath.

Saliva helps to keep our breath sweet and subsequently having a dry mouth can be the cause of bad breath. Smoking, some illnesses and dehydration cause dry mouth. Making sure that people who breathe out smells that should only be smelt in public toilets; are constantly hydrated, or offering them sucking sweets and chewing gum to get the juices flowing, will prevent dry mouth and thus bad breath.  

If we subtly make sure that people around us have no reason to have halitosis then we should never be on the receiving end of a passionate kiss where we have to stop breathing because of the stench. And we should not have to end conversations while they are still flowing because we cannot handle the smell.

Curing halitosis can be done silently and easily, whether we are doing it for ourselves or for someone else.  Once we are in the clear we can continue our lives in close contact with loved ones and business associates with confidence and grace. When we can stop worrying about what other people are smelling, or when we stop having to be the ones smelling, we might find that we have a lot more to say, a lot more to hear and we can do this in a much more comfortable way.