Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath; it means that a person has an unpleasant smell on the breath that is noticed by other people when they breathe or speak.

Often people do not realise they have the condition as they get used to their own smell - it may be picked up by other people who could feel uncomfortable telling the person they have bad breath.

There is a simple way for a person to check if their breath smells; they should lick the inside of their wrist, wait a few seconds for the saliva to dry and then smell the licked area; if there is an odour then it is likely that you have bad breath. 

The lack of awareness can have a huge impact on a persons life as there is a social stigma against the condition. A person suffering from persistent bad breath can find it affects their work and social life as work colleagues may not want to talk to them or friends may not wish to socialise with them. It can even affect relationships with partners as bad breath can put someone off physical contact/

Therefore bad breath can have a huge psychological impact on a person so it is important that you are able to offer a sympathetic ear.

The objectives of this session are:-

• To understand the common causes of halitosis
• To be able to offer advice on the types of treatments that are available
• To be able to provide customers with self-help tips to manage or prevent bad breath