Besides being embarrassing, bad breath can cause some unpleasant social situations. Take heart, though, there are some simple things we can do to alleviate this unpleasant situation (and bad breath kits are a part of the program).

1. Oral health is very important. If people do not floss daily or brush their teeth well, decaying food particles and bacteria have a chance to "set up house", causing horrid breath. And while brushing your teeth, don't forget to clean your tongue well. Why? Well, the tongue has millions of filaments that trap tiny odor-causing bacteria. Like mouthwash? Unless your mouthwash actually helps eliminate bacteria (some natural oils can), it won't do much good, except on a very temporary basis.

2. Make sure you're "regular". Huh? What does bowel regularity have to do with bad breath? Have you ever noticed that some people's mouth odors rival the stench from the neighborhood sewer? That's no accident. It's usually indicative of a slow moving "human sewer system". Solution? Get that gunk out! Fiber helps, as do magnesium, oxygen-based colon cleansers.

3. Some recommend chewing gum to stop bad breath, as the increase of saliva production may help to eliminate odor. During the night, saliva production greatly slows; down causing the dreaded "morning breath". However, chewing xylitol-based gum not only mechanically washes bacteria out, but allows for the enzymes and antiseptics in our saliva to attack bacteria.

4. Drink plenty of water and eat lots of quality fiber. Water will help keep the bacteria in your mouth to a minimum. So besides water's numerous other benefits, preventing bad breath is one of them. And good fiberous carbohydrates help prevent "ketone breath", so common on no-carb or low-carb diets.

Sometimes, persistent bad breath can signal a larger problem, including infection, and even kidney or liver failure, so don't treat it too lightly until you've been fully examined by a qualified health practitioner. And while you're at it, make sure your digestion is up to par for healthier assimilation of nutrients before they ferment in our bodies.