OK so I recently discovered I have quite bad breath. I suspected I might have bad breath, and I brushed my teeth and rinsed with mouth wash and 20 minutes later asked my friend to rate me and he said it was still quite bad.
So dopers, who has made a similar discovery and managed to solve the problem, and by what method? I have a date soming up next week and fear this might be a deal breaker.
Maybe your friend is just messing with you. 
I’ve noticed that my tongue - particularly waaay back - catches a lot of food particles which decay and produce an odor. Generally, I’ll get some water into my mouth, stick my index finger in my mouth, and kinda scratch at the rear of my tongue (being careful not to trigger the gag reflex). Spit twice - the second time always seems to release the particles for some reason - and repeat until it’s clean. I’ll also rinse with listerine, scratch my tongue with the teeth, and gargle deep in the back of my mouth.
There are medical conditions that can worsen the breath, but I don’t know enough to talk about it. Someone will probably be along and mention something.
Hope it helps!
You need to floss thoroughly between ALL your teeth (more specifically, between the gum and the side of the tooth). Then clean your teeth, paying special attention to the gaps between the teeth, the backs of the teeth where you can’t see, and the gumline. Remember each tooth has five sides and all need to be cleaned. You should also give your tongue a scrub with the brush while you’re at it.
Do this three days in a row; flossing once and cleaning teeth/tongue three times each day. If it is still a problem by the end of that, you need to see a dentist/oral hygenist.
I second brushing the tongue.
third the tongue-brushing.
i’ve found some truly heinously stinky stuff caught in my back teeth after flossing, too, so i try to brush well, floss, and rinse with listerine.
hurts like a mother, but man i feel squeaky-clean afterward.
I think regular, through flossing would be a big help. Even if you brush your teeth and tongue your mouth can still stink ferociously from all the bacteria laden crap trapped in the crevices of your teeth, esp the back molars.
Have you been to the dentist lately?
You might have some decay that’s contributing to the problem.