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Some of us go beyond a mild concern about bad breath and develop what is called delusional halitosis, the mistaken belief that we have bad breath when actually we do not. In its most extreme form, this belief can cause people to go to unusual and possibly harmful lengths to cure their imaginary halitosis. They may also become reclusive, avoiding the company of others, and suffer social isolation. In these cases, the problem is halitophobia, not bad breath itself, but it can be just as damaging as the real thing. Both conditions should be taken seriously.

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So it's normal to suffer from a slight degree of halitophobia. For most of us, a regular routine of oral hygiene and professional dental care, combined with silence about the state of our breath from family and friends, is enough to assure us that all is well. However, if you find yourself worrying excessively, maybe even slipping in a mild form of delusional halitosis, take some steps to determine the truth of the matter. Get an objective opinion: make an appointment with your family doctor for a health checkup if you haven't done that in a while, and include your breath in the conversation. Have a dental checkup as well and ask your dentist for a professional opinion of your breath and oral health. Ask your spouse, a close family member, or a good friend for an honest appraisal of your breath odor. And believe what these people tell you - if they don't detect any problem then there probably isn't one.

When feelings of delusional halitosis persist, it can be helpful to routinely use some breath freshening products, if only to build up self confidence. This might just mean using over the counter breath mints (but do choose sugarless ones so that you don't encourage tooth decay or even bad breath itself). Alternatively, stronger breath products are available. But use moderation and choose carefully. Many of today's best breath products were developed to target the source of the odor, not just freshen the breath, and many of the simple fresheners can do more harm than good, especially when the problem is halitophobia, not halitosis. Choose a product that supports good oral health and has minimal side effects. And if side effects occur, discontinue use and try something else.

R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to Halitophobia at Bad Breath Remedies, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.