How Do I Know If I Have Bad Breath?

In real life, halitosis causes significant psychological distress for patients, impairs their normal communication with others, and severely affects both their work and daily life—ultimately compromising their quality of life. So, how can one determine whether they have halitosis?

How to Determine Whether You Have Halitosis

You cannot detect your own halitosis directly. To check, place your hand or a mirror in front of your lips and exhale onto it; then immediately bring it close to your nose and sniff. Alternatively, gently scrape a small amount of tongue coating using a spoon and smell it. If the scraped material emits an unpleasant odor, halitosis is likely present. Morning breath is considered normal physiological halitosis. However, if noticeable halitosis occurs at other times, active management is recommended.

Some individuals with halitosis can perceive it themselves, while others cannot. Generally, the more severe the halitosis, the more likely the person may notice it. However, because the oral and nasal cavities are interconnected, prolonged exposure to halitosis may reduce the sensitivity of olfactory cells in the nasal cavity. Consequently, these olfactory cells may become temporarily desensitized—or even functionally “paralyzed”—making self-detection impossible.

Such patients are often informed about their halitosis by family members or colleagues and thus seek medical evaluation and treatment. In summary, some individuals with halitosis can detect it themselves, whereas others cannot. We hope this information has been helpful to you.