爱思英语编者按：口臭是一个极其尴尬杀伤力极强的问题。一个再漂亮的人只要有这个问题就是一个悲剧。有的口臭是肠胃等内脏的问题，但是大多数的口臭确实不当的清洁方式所造成的。直面口臭，了解口臭，才能解决口臭。

What About Plain Old Bad Breath?

Melinda Beck

About 25% of adults world-wide suffer from chronic halitosis that has nothing to do with serious illness. Below, some bad-breath basics:

It starts in the mouth. Most of the time, halitosis is caused by bacteria buildup岸often on the back of the tongue, where postnasal drip collects, according to Mel Rosenberg, a professor of human microbiology at Tel Aviv University and co-founder of the International Society for Breath Odor Research.

Bacteria also thrive between teeth and gums, where they produce sulfides and other malodorous compounds, including putrescine, found in decaying meat, and isovaleric acid, which smells like sweaty feet.

Some cases actually stem from the nose, as a result of blocked sinuses. If a child suddenly develops an offensive odor, Dr. Rosenberg says, check for a bead or other foreign body in the nose.

But it might be in your head. About a quarter of the people who seek help from dentists or clinics for bad breath suffer from halitophobia, the fear of bad breath, instead. 'They have parents or children or friends who have bad breath, which makes them think they do, too,' says Dr. Rosenberg. Having a bad taste in the mouth doesn't mean you have bad breath.

The best way to know isn't licking your wrist or blowing into your hand or under a blanket. Some dentists have 'halimeters' that can measure sulfur compounds in breath. An easier way: Ask a trusted friend or family member.

The best way to vanquish it involves regular brushing and flossing, of course, as well as cleaning the back of your tongue with a tongue scraper. (Breath sprays and mints generally only mask the problem temporarily.) Gargling with mouthwash can help, but those containing alcohol can dry your mouth and make the problem worse.

Drinking plenty of water and eating breakfast regularly岸preferably with rough foods like whole-wheat toast岸can help mobilize bacteria that accumulate overnight, Dr. Rosenberg says. 'Just by having breakfast, you can reduce the volatile sulfur by at least 70%.'

关于口臭，你知道多少？

全世界约有25%的成年人患有并不代表体内存在严重疾病的慢性口臭。以下是关于口臭的一些基本情况：

问题始于口腔。以色列特拉维夫大学(Tel Aviv University)人体微生物学教授、国际鼻息气味研究组织(International Society for Breath Odor Research)联合创始人梅尔?罗森伯格(Mel Rosenberg)指出，多数情况下，口臭是由细菌滋生引起的，而这种细菌滋生多半发生在舌后部，即后鼻滴涕汇集处。

细菌还容易在牙齿与牙龈之间滋生，产生硫化物和其他恶臭化合物，包括腐肉中含有的腐胺和带有类似汗脚臭味的异戊酸。

有时候，口臭还可能来源于鼻腔，一般由鼻窦阻塞所致。罗森伯格博士举例道，如果小孩子的口气突然变得不清新，那很可能需要检查一下鼻腔中有没有异物。

但口臭也可能源于大脑。在找牙医或到诊所看口臭问题的人群中，大约有四分之一的人实际上患的不是口臭，而是口臭恐惧症。罗森伯格博士称，“这些人的父母、子女或朋友患有口臭，导致他们认为自己也患有口臭。”自我感觉口味不佳并不意味着就有口气。

要了解自己到底有没有口臭，不是通过舔一下手腕、向手心吹气或者把头埋到毯子下面吹气来判断的。一些牙医会使用“口气仪”检测呼吸中硫化物的含量。当然，还有一个更简单的方法：问问一个信得过的朋友或者家人。

消除口臭的最佳方法包括定期刷牙漱口，清除牙垢，以及用刮舌器清洁舌后部。（口腔清新喷雾剂或薄荷糖一般只能暂时掩盖口气问题。）用漱口液也会有帮助，但一些漱口液含有酒精，会导致口腔干燥，令口气问题恶化。

大量饮水和保证早餐规律──最好多吃全麦面包之类的粗粮，这样有助于促进夜间滋生的细菌的流动。罗森伯格博士说，“只要吃早餐，就可以令口腔中的挥发性硫化物至少减少70%。”