A lot of people are embarrassed by bad breath, but what they don't realize, is it could be a sign of more serious health problems.

It's not just a result of what you eat or drink. "Many times patients are concerned about their bad breath, and it's not just from garlic or onions," says Dr. Kris Tumilowicz with Dental Dimensions. "That's just a temporary problem."

It usually comes from poor oral hygiene or dry mouth. But it can't always be prevented with your typical teeth-cleaning methods. "Patients with bad breath may actually have good hygiene habits, and brush and floss like they should," he says.

More often than not, the problem comes from what's going on at the back of your tongue, where tiny particles of food can get trapped. "There's many times that bacteria is breaking down, and they release sulfur compounds," he describes. "That's where you get that offensive smell of bad breath. "

There's a way to get that hard to reach spot. "We do advocate for patients to use a tongue scraper," he says. "That's available in most dental offices, or even at the drug store."

After using it a few times, you'll see results. "You'll notice that your tongue nice and clean, it's more pink, your taste is better, and your breath is better," he says.

It also helps to floss at least once a day, brush after every meal, change your toothbrush every few months, and drink lots of water to keep your mouth hydrated.

It's also important to make sure the mouth wash you're using is alcohol-free. "Many of these rinses often have a natural ingredient called chlorine dioxide, which is a general disinfectant, which will help you have a healthier mouth and gums," he says.

Sometimes though, bad breath points to a more serious health problem. "if it's got a sweet sensation to it, almost like juicy fruit breath, that may indicate your blood sugar is out of whack and that's a sign of diabetes," he says.

That's one of the reasons why it's recommended that you see your dentist for a professional cleaning twice a year.