Halitosis-otherwise known as bad breath-is one of those things that can be caused by any number of things. Bad breath can often be a difficult condition to pin down precisely because there are so many things that can cause it. Bad breath can be caused by lack of proper salivation in the mouth, dry mouth, poor oral hygiene habits, certain foods, certain medications or therapies and potentially serious underlying medical conditions. How can you tell if your bad breath originates in your mouth, or if it is indicative of a more serious underlying medical condition? If you suffer from chronic halitosis, paying a visit to your medical professional may be useful in helping you find out what's wrong. Your doctor or pharmacist will try to determine if your halitosis originates in the mouth. In the meantime, here are some hints that can help you pin down the genesis of your halitosis condition.

The Mouthwash Test - Does Your Bad Breath Go Away?

There is one easy test that can help you determine whether your case of halitosis originates in the mouth or not. That is known as the mouthwash test. It is pretty simple. Simply use a strong mouthwash every day for at least a week. After a week of strong mouthwash use, check your breath. Does it feel cool and fresh? Did the regular mouthwash use have any kind of effect? If it seems like your mouthwash helped your halitosis, this is a good sign that your bad breath originates from the mouth.

Practice Perfect Oral Hygiene - At Least For One Week

Everyone knows, more or less, what constitutes good oral hygiene, but very few of us actually practice perfect oral hygiene every single day. However, for the sake of discovering whether your halitosis originates in the mouth, plan on practicing perfect oral hygiene for at least one week. That is, make sure to brush at least two times a day for a full two minutes, floss each night, and perform careful tongue brushing every time that you brush. After a week, check the status of your halitosis. Does your breath feel and smell considerably fresher? Is there a better taste in your mouth?

Do the Dry Mouth Test

If you suffer from dry mouth, there is a good chance that you also suffer from halitosis. Here is an easy test to see if your dry mouth is causing you to suffer from bad breath. Allow your mouth to go dry, than taste your breath. Is there a noticeably unpleasant taste to your mouth? Does your breath seem like it smells unpleasant? If so, then your bad breath is most certainly directly responsible for your halitosis.

The Tongue Scraping Test

Here is another easy way to see if your halitosis originates from the mouth. Use a plastic spoon to scrape the back of your tongue gently. Let the plastic spoon dry for a few minutes. Then go ahead and smell the spoon. This is a good test to see if your case of halitosis originates in your mouth.