Some toothpastes have antibacterial properties and are good for treating bad breath.

There are dentifrices especially formulated for fighting oral malodor. They have antibacterial ingredients such as cetylpyridinium chloride or chlorine dioxide.

If you use this formula in also cleaning your tongue, it can be very effective.

The cause of bad breath is, in most cases, bacteria that live in your mouth. They consume nutrients that are left behind after you eat, and they create volatile sulfur compounds with a terrible smell. To combat this smell with toothpaste, it should have an antibacterial agent that will kill the bacteria at the source of the smell. It can also have odor-neutralizing chemicals in the formula.

Some companies that make bad breath products, such as these special toothpastes, are Dr. Harold Katz's TheraBreath, and Discus Dental, which makes BreathRx products. Ads for some of these toothpastes and other breath treatment products may appear on the right.