I have been having acute halitosis. I visited several dentist's, but they are all of the the opinion that there is no problem in my mouth. i have had safe sex with several women. could hiv cause severe halitosis.

HIV has not been linked to severe halitosis (bad breath) in any of the literature I have reviewed or read. The most common cause of halitosis is insufficient oral hygiene. A good home care regimen should include brushing your teeth, gingiva (gums) and tongue with a soft toothbrush for at least two minutes twice a day. There is research which shows that using a toothpaste which contains triclosan and co-polymer (Colgate's Total Toothpaste) significantly reduces the symptoms of bad breath when compared to toothpastes which do not contain triclosan and co-polymer. Other oral conditions which can lead to halitosis include periodontal (gum) disease and dental decay. Since you have been to several dentists, none of which have found any problems in your mouth, my advice would be to use Total toothpaste for a least a week, twice a day as instructed above. Clinical studies have shown that Colgate Total Toothpaste provides effective control of breath odor at twelve hours after brushing the teeth.

I hope this information proves helpful!

DR