1. Always keep your tongue clean. Bad breath is usually caused by the bacteria that thrive on the back of our tongue and the condition is aggravated by poor oral hygiene. This is why regular brushing and flossing of our teeth, as well as brushing or scraping of our tongue is very important. It inhibits the growth of oral bacteria, thus limiting the chance for bad breath to develop.

2. Chew sugarless gum. Here is where saliva becomes your best friend. We need to keep the flow of saliva in our mouth because saliva washes away the odor-causing bacteria. People who suffer from dry mouth will benefit best from gum-chewing since this increase the flow of saliva in our mouth. Recent studies also show that cinnamon may be the best flavor to choose because cinnamon has natural odor-fighting properties that are absent from other flavors.

3. Increase water intake. Drinking more water is also an important step in learning how to get rid of bad breath for good. Much like chewing gum, it regulates the moisture in our mouth and helps wash away the bacteria that cause bad breath. Drinking more water has a lot of health benefits, so you are actually not just addressing your breath problem but improving your overall health as well.

4. Rule out other causes. While most cases of halitosis is caused by oral bacteria and can be easily banished by proper oral hygiene, there are a few cases that have more serious causes and require more focused treatments. If the odor is persistent and no amount of brushing or flossing eliminates it, consult your doctor to see if there are other health problems that you need to be concerned about.

Just as realizing you have bad breath causes adverse negative effects, knowing how to get rid of bad breath for good also creates a ripple effect towards restoring one's confidence and self-worth.

Bear in mind that if you do have bad breath, the people around you may already be aware of it even though you are not. Because of the embarrassment associated with halitosis, most people will not say anything to you about the problem and may choose to either avoid close contact with you or just grin and bear it.

There can be several causes of halitosis, the most common of which are oral bacteria, smoking, certain foods and health problems. Bacteria that reside in the mouth, particularly in the back of the tongue, can excrete sulfur compounds that cause unpleasant odors in out mouth. Needless to say, constant smoking will leave cigarette odor in your mouth permanently, causing you to emit a nasty smell when you speak.

Food such as onion or garlic may also leave you with bad breath. The good news is that halitosis caused by food intake is usually temporary and usually disappears after a few minutes or after brushing. Certain health disorders also cause bad breath, most especially gum disease and sinusitis. Halitosis caused by these underlying conditions can be more serious, and consultation with a doctor may be required.

Generally, maintaining proper oral hygiene is still the best way to avoid halitosis. Remember to brush for at least two minutes and at least twice every day. Brush or scrape your tongue as well to remove oral bacteria and floss your teeth to dislodge any food particles between your teeth. Doing this regularly will take you a long way towards beating the causes of halitosis and leaving your breath fresh and sweet.