Bad breath can make or break social situations. If you suffer from chronic bad breath, you have probably tried all sorts of bad breath cures, including mouthwash and special toothpaste, which are supposed to cure bad breath. But curing bad breath starts with knowing what is causing your case of halitosis. The most common cause of chronic bad breath is bacteria in the mouth breaking down proteins. Eventually these bacteria will die, and when they do they release sulfur compounds which lead to bad breath. These bacteria like to live on the tongue in the back of the mouth. Also, gaps in the teeth due to tooth decay or gum disease are other places where these bacteria will grow well. Chronic bad breath is not related to the foods that you eat. Food-based odors are eliminated with time, so they do not become a chronic problem. Another cause of chronic bad breath may be a chronic infection of the sinuses, throat, or lungs. Diabetes can cause bad breath. Kidney failure, liver disease, or other metabolic disorders may cause problems with odor in the mouth. Surprisingly, prolonged fasting can cause the mouth to stink! Mouthwash and toothpaste will help, but not cure chronic bad breath due to these problems. One problem with bad breath is that we often do not know we have it. The human nose has a great ability to become accustomed to smells that are always around. Because of this, we become accustomed to our bad breath. If you are wondering if you have bad breath, try a few steps. First, lick your hand and let it dry. If you smell a bad odor, then you have bad breath. Also, when flossing your teeth, stop and smell the dental floss to check for bad odors. If the back of your tongue is white, you probably have bad breath. Of course, the best way to find out if you have bad breath is to ask someone – just make sure it is someone you trust to tell you the truth. So if you have chronic bad breath, what can you do about it? First, determine the cause. If you have a medical problem that is causing your bad breath, treat the problem. You may have to have an extensive dental cleaning to take care of the problem. However, if you want to find do-it-yourself bad breath, you can try covering the smell with mouthwash and toothpaste. Of course, if the problem is there because of poor dental hygiene, this will help immensely. Don’t forget to clean the back of your tongue. The best time to use a mouthwash is at night before you go to sleep. This gives the mouthwash time to work on killing the bacteria on your teeth. Finally, chew sugar free gum or eat mints whenever you feel like bad breath is creeping back into your mouth. These tips can help to give you fresh breath.