Number One
Bad breath isn't the real problem — it's the signal
You notice the smell first. It's easy to treat that as a cosmetic issue, mask it with a minty chew, and move on.
The odor comes from volatile sulfur compounds produced by bacteria living below the gum line. Neutralizing the smell does nothing to the colony producing it. The bacteria keep working on the tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place.
By the time breath is noticeable to you, the process has usually been underway for a while.
