You can start by avoiding breath bummers like garlic and raw onions. The next bad breath booster may be a good night’s sleep. “Bad breath happens most often at night when your saliva isn’t flowing,” says Christine Dumas, D.D.S. “Bacteria forms in the mouth and can’t get cleaned away.” So it’s vital to give your choppers a good scrub first thing in the a.m.

Another tip: don’t forget to lightly scrape your tongue with your toothbrush—bacteria love to camp out there. Your best bet is to brush after every meal, drink lots of water and pop a mint if you’re coming into close contact with anyone.

Having dinner out and can’t duck into the ladies room to hit the Crest? Try chomping on a natural breath freshener like parsley or suck on a wedge of lemon. Breezy breathing.