Dr. Jon Richter is willing to smell your breath, and more impressively, he can tell you exactly why no one else will.

He came through for Karolee Schloth, 33, who was tired of comments from her husband and her children about her mouth odor problem. She was brushing her teeth five times a day to no avail.

"Now I feel wonderful," says Schloth, King of Prussia, Pa.

For many of the 25 million Americans who suffer from bad breath, the problem lies somewhere between a nuisance and a serious illness. But Richter is helping. He's seen 600 patients since last year's opening of his clinic - discreetly called The Pennsylvania Center. Located in Philadelphia, it's the only center in the USA devoted to the treatment of bad breath and the only one of four in the world. Richter a dentist of 23 years, claims a 95% cure rate.

Other dentists are taking notice. "I think we're at the beginning of a huge awakening," says Dr. Richard Price, of the American Dental Association. "We know the public is concerned about bad breath so hey, let's get it out in the open."

Almost all of bad breath is caused by smelly sulfur compounds that form in the body. There are two chief reasons why the body produces these compounds, Richter explains.

• A "systematic disorder," such as diabetes or liver disease. In these cases, sulfur chemicals build up in the bloodstream and get exhaled through the lungs. "These patients have more urgent problems to deal with than bad breath," Richter says.
• More common and less serious is bacteria somewhere in the airway, including the nose, mouth, sinuses, and wind pipe. These anaerobic bacteria break down any available proteins into the dreaded sulfur.

"If you can identify where the sulfur compounds are, you can identify what the patients problem is," Richter says. He has built a device that collects and analyzes air from parts of the airway to locate highest concentrations of sulfur.

Sulfur buildup in the nose, throat and sinuses is usually due to infection. Patients are sent to specialists for treatment.

In the instance of bacteria that breed in the mouth, Richter sprays antiseptic on the patients tongue, gums and mouth walls, in order to remove it. Patients then use special rinsing solutions as part of a daily regimen to keep the sulfur production at bay.

Richter's patients come for three sessions at a total cost of $250, about half of which he says is covered by dental insurance. (Out of towners can condense the three visits into one.) For those of you who might want to do it yourself, here are some tips:

• Flossing gets rid of food particles, and also helps prevent bleeding gums.
• Eating breakfast - or drinking a glass of water - helps get the saliva going in the morning, dissipating bacteria.
• Gently scraping the tongue can help get rid of the bacteria. You can use the edge of a spoon.