Nothing is more embarrassing than having bad breath, also known as halitosis. Though you can try to disguise the odors with mouthwash, this is only a temporary fix that can be used in addition to following good hygiene.

Studies published in the Journal of the American Dental Association estimate 85 percent of bad breath is caused by bacteria. According to The Mayo Clinic and the ADA, many factors can contribute to bad breath, including:

Poor hygiene: Everyone should brush and floss teeth and scrape the tongue at least twice daily. In addition to the rotting of food particles left behind, the bacteria that remain on and between your teeth, on your gums and on your tongue thrive, cause odors that are objectionable to others.

Eating habits: Though they may have tasted good to you while you ate them, certain foods with strong odors like onions and garlic sometimes are offensive to others around. Though brushing and flossing, mouthwash, or peppermints may mask the odor, it’s unlikely the odors will disappear entirely until the foods have made their way through the system and been eliminated.

Medical issues: In addition to changes caused by some medications, some conditions, such as diabetes or stomach problems may lead to bad breath. It may be a sign you need to schedule an appointment for a physical with your doctor.

Nasal passages: The Mayo Clinic points to problems with the nasal passage as another culprit in bad breath issues. Mouth odor can develop if you’re dealing with sinus infections caused by nasal discharge that drips down your sinuses to the back of your throat.

Inadequate dental repairs: In some instances, the way a dentist has filled a cavity or performed other restorations allows food to become trapped in places that are hard to reach by brushing and flossing.

Dry mouth: Some people experience a decrease of saliva, known medically as xerostomia, which can lead to bad breath because saliva aids in cleansing the mouth of potentially offensive food particles. Saliva production may be deceased because of the use of certain medicines. This sometimes can be overcome by a prescription for artificial salvia from your dentist. However, the first step to encourage saliva production may be sucking on sugar-free candy or chewing sugar-free gum.

Tobacco use: Aside from causing cancer, chewing or smoking tobacco can affect breath unfavorably.

Persistent problems in spite of best efforts at good hygiene should be discussed with your Los Angeles dentist. Angie’s List has listings for more than 8,000 providers in the LA area. Sign in to see which have been highly rated by our members.