Bad breath a turn-off for women
A study carried out ahead of Valentine’s Day has found that the worst morning-after disaster is waking to find their partner has bad morning breath.
Forty one per cent of the women surveyed by BioRepair Toothpaste said that bad mouth odour was their biggest fear in a new relationship – even more than were worried about getting naked in front of a new man!
For men, the problem was less of an issue, with only one in three saying morning breath was a big problem for them in relationships.
Other dating phobias uncovered by the survey of over 1,000 adults were getting food caught in your teeth, awkward silences and spilling drinks. One in four men feared being stood up by a new girlfriend, compared to only 6% of women who worried that a new man wasn’t going to show.
Louise Fair, spokeswoman for BioRepair toothpaste, said: ‘It was surprising just how fearful Brits are of having morning breath in front of a new partner, especially as this came in as more embarrassing than being naked in front of a new partner.’
There are several steps you can take to make sure that your morning breath doesn’t put off a potential partner, with the simplest being maintaining an oral hygiene routine, involving flossing and mouthwash, and attending regular check-ups. You could also try scraping your tongue, as this is where the bacteria thought to be responsible for bad breath lives. Mouth mints and sprays will only disguise the problem, and you’ll be found out when the alarm clock goes off!
The problem has become such a significant one in dating circles, that a Japanese company has even invented a bar breathalyser that doesn’t check just for alcohol, but also for bad breath; with your “score” given as one of six smiley faces.
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