If you suffer from bad breath, chances are you've popped more mints than you'd like in your life. While your friends, coworkers, and family may appreciate your minty-fresh breath, having to pop a mint every couple of hours is less than ideal -- especially if you find yourself pulling back from romantic embraces, frantically scrambling for mints. Fortunately, you can permanently free yourself of bad breath (and mint dependence) by fixing common underlying dental issues.

Defeat Tongue Bacteria

Despite their microscopic size, tongue bacteria are a smelly force to be reckoned with -- and they're a likely culprit of your bad breath. Fortunately, tongue scrapers are designed specifically to battle these single-celled organisms. So get a tongue scraper, and scrape your bad breath away.

If you're in a pinch, use a toothbrush to brush away tongue bacteria instead. But keep in mind that a tongue scraper is far superior for the job, so get one as soon as you can.

Moisturize Your Mouth

Believe it or not, saliva is a necessary ally in your quest to free yourself of bad breath. Why? Because saliva contains enzymes that kill foul-smelling bacteria. Additionally, saliva washes away bacteria after killing it.

Therefore, if you don't have enough saliva, you are creating an environment where smelly bacteria thrive, increasing your odds of suffering from bad breath.

Don't let that happen. Moisturize your mouth by drinking plenty of water, limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption, and avoiding products that contain tobacco.

Show Your Gums Some Love

Are your gums dark red and sore? Do they bleed after you floss or brush your teeth? These are signs you may have gum disease, which is another common cause of chronic bad breath.

Luckily, treating (and preventing) gum disease is easy -- clean your gums every time you brush your teeth, floss daily, and have your mouth professionally cleaned by a dental hygienist regularly.

If you have advanced gum disease, your dentist will likely perform a routine deep-cleaning procedure, which will protect your gums, teeth, and breath from bacteria.

Keep in mind that bad breath is a common problem with many potential underlying causes, so don't be embarrassed by the condition. If you're suffering from bad breath and haven't visited the dentist recently, now is a good time to schedule an appointment. One simple visit could obliterate your bad breath for good -- and free you from the clutches of breath mints too!