Kissing is one of humanity’s most universal experiences. People have been kissing each other since the beginning of time, and although scientists don’t know for sure why we evolved to enjoy pressing our lips together, we can all agree that kissing someone is one of the most pleasant sensations known.
Whether we do it out of passion, arousal, affection, or love, our senses of touch, taste, and smell are heavily involved. This means that having bad breath and kissing don’t mesh well together.
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Can You Smell Someone’s Breath When Kissing?
Yes. When kissing, you will smell the other person’s breath. When you kiss someone it is common to breathe through your nose. With your mouths locked, your nose is close to someone’s face, you will smell their breath.
Kissing is a highly intimate act that involves getting our mouths and noses close together, so it makes perfect sense from a physical standpoint since bad breath originates inside the mouth and is transmitted through the air that we breathe out.
Mixing kissing and bad breath can cause heavy anxiety and unnecessary stress. So, if you suffer from it, or have a partner that does, follow me below to learn more about what is causing it and how to treat it.
Halitosis And Kissing
Human breath has a surprisingly complex composition. Scientists have found more than 200 different chemical compounds in one exhalation of breath. Therefore, accurately determining the exact cause of bad breath can be difficult to pinpoint.
However, in most cases, unpleasant breath odor, also known as halitosis, is caused by the presence of bacteria inside the mouth. These bacteria can be the result of some pathologies, poor health, as well as environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Having bad breath has become one of the world’s common taboos, with sufferers often feeling discriminated against by those around them. This means that detecting bad breath in the middle of a kiss can be extremely distressing for everyone involved.
So, Why Is Bad Breath Even A Thing?
Bacteria are commonly found in the mouth and not all oral bacteria result in a noticeably unpleasant smell.
In 9 out of 10 cases an individual’s bad breath can be explained by bad oral hygiene and poor habits. In other cases, the smell can be caused by lesions or sores on the surface of the tongue, gums, and teeth.
Smoking tobacco products and consuming alcoholic beverages can also cause or worsen the intensity of bad breath because these substances reduce the production of saliva, which facilitates the growth of bacteria inside the mouth.
Several diseases can also be to blame, such as liver or kidney failure, respiratory tract infections, or diabetes.
How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath?
If you notice that your breath smells bad, and your dating life is starting to suffer, you should start by adjusting your dental and oral personal hygiene routine.
- Make sure that you are brushing your teeth a minimum of two times per day, using fluoride toothpaste. The American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth for two full minutes each time to eliminate bad breath-inducing bacteria.
- Get into the habit of flossing daily. This will help you remove bits of food particles from between your teeth, which would otherwise decompose and produce foul-smelling bacteria.
- Drink more water to maintain your tongue, gums, and throat hydrated.
- Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
- If you chew gum regularly, we recommend that you pick a sugar-free gum.
- Invest in a tongue scraper.
- Kiss more. This may seem counterintuitive since the last thing most of us want to associate with a lover’s kiss is a rank, foul-smelling mouth. However, research has shown that kissing someone promotes salivation, which can have the benefit of regulating your mouth’s Ph levels and inhibiting bacterial growth.
If your breath maintains a foul smell after following these tips, you should seek professional medical advice as there is a possibility that your bad breath may be a symptom of some other undiagnosed condition.
