Actually, bad breath can be caused by several factors, only one of which is poor dental hygiene. The foods you eat are a major culprit -- a stomach full of garlic and onions is bound to give your breath a foul odor, no matter how much you brush and floss. And what about sicknesses like pneumonia? Nobody wants to kiss you when you've got that, and it's not just because they want to avoid getting sick -- certain illnesses can give you bad breath as well. So don't be too quick to judge when that close-talking colleague offends with his foul smelling breath -- it may not be his fault!
And how about your own oral odors? As long as you follow the dentist's recommendation of brushing and flossing at least twice a day, and you visit your dentist at least twice each year for regular checkups, you can be pretty sure your bad breath is not a dental hygiene issue. But if you're still worried about stinky breath, ask your dentist about it -- he or she can determine if any odors related to dental hygiene or if they're caused by something else [source: WebMD].