The end of the year comes with many social obligations, and that brings its own problem: bad breath.

Halitosis can bring a party down and turn someone into a social outcast, but there are many ways to avoid the problem.

Dr. Harold Katz says in many cases bad breath is caused by anaerobic bacteria.

"They live in the back of your tongue, throat and tonsils and they introduce chemicals called volatile sulphur compounds. Quite often they're stimulated by foods but often stimulated by dry mouth," said Dr. Katz.

Watch the interview for advice on how to avoid bad breath in a social situation.