Bad breath a stinking problem for couples

One in five people believe that their partner has bad breath according to a new UK-wide dental survey.

The National Smile Month Survey, commissioned by the British Dental Health Foundation found that 20% of people would describe their partner as ‘having bad breath’ – and the result was the same for both men and women.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, commented: “Bad breath can be a real turn-off for both sexes so it must be a worry that so many people are noticing it in their partners.

“With a further 42% revealing they have friends or colleagues with bad breath it seems that this is still very much a common problem.

“Although there can be other causes, such as spicy foods and some medical conditions, most bad breath is the result of poor oral hygiene. People need to brush their teeth twice-a-day with fluoride toothpaste, cut down on how often they have sugary foods and drinks and visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

“With the survey’s findings that the majority of people wouldn’t risk their friendship by telling someone they had bad breath it seems that people need to find out for themselves.

“Try the ‘lick and sniff’ test to see if your breath smells. Simply lick the inside of your wrist, leave it for a few seconds and the sniff. If the smell is unpleasant the chances are your breath is too.”