We have all had this happen: you go to talk to someone and when they open their mouth, your eyes cross and you feel faint. Hopefully, that person is not YOU. Why do some people have such bad breath and others don't seem to have much of a problem with it? Is bad breath a medical condition? Read on to find out the answers to this and more.

The medical term for bad breath is halitosis. Bad breath can be caused by a number of things. Most of us know that foods we eat can leave our breath smelling anything but sweet. Especially notorious ones like garlic and onions! Food particles that are left in between the teeth start to decay and can cause bad breath. Smokers have bad breath, we know why, of course. Gum disease which causes bacteria in the mouth can cause the breath to smell foul. Sinus problems and chronic upper respiratory infections can leave the breath smelling bad, as well.

Another area in the mouth that carries the odors of bad breath, is on the tongue. Often we brush our teeth but fail to brush out tongue. There are some things you can do to help get rid of bad breath. First, brush your teeth and your tongue after every meal. Secondly, use mouth wash every morning and night. Thirdly, floss your teeth daily to remove bits of food between teeth. Fourthly, abstain from smoking or chewing tobacco. Fifth, drink plenty of water. Sixth, have any gum problems checked and treated by your dentist. And lastly, if you have a sinus infection or other recurrent respiratory infections, have it treated by your doctor.