5 Tips from a Dentist to Cure Bad Breath for Good

If you’re following good oral care practices and still having smelly breath — with or without eating sour cream and onion chips — there might be an underlying health condition that’s affecting your breath.

In addition to getting a professional cleaning to reduce plaque, visiting your dentist regularly can also help detect health issues that may be causing bad breath. “Your dentist can see if maybe it’s something with your gum tissue,” says Jennifer Jablow, DDS, dentist in New York City, “or maybe there’s a problem [with] your stomach, or even possibly your tonsils.”

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Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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