20% need breath of fresh air

ONE in five of us say bad breath has hit our social lives, with London, Birmingham and Manchester the worst places for halitosis.

In No1 place in a poll, 43% of Londoners suffer bad breath, which had made 26% lack confidence while dating, and led 10% to be dumped by a romantic partner.

The survey of 1,500 adults found 25% had avoided kissing someone who had smelly breath, but 16% had resisted a smooch because their own smelled bad. And, not surprisingly, 17% said they felt unsexy when their breath was bad.

A tactful 21% said they would take someone aside and discreetly tell them they were suffering from halitosis.

A spokesman for CB12 mouthwash, which carried out the poll, said: “Bad breath can be embarrassing, but doesn’t have to be a blocker in relationships.”