I have been with my boyfriend for about a year and I feel like I’ve always subconsciously been aware of this little issue but have just been pushing it away or ignoring it. Sometimes when we talk, when we get close or I smell the air in his mouth and catch a whiff I just try not to make a face or say anything because if someone were to say that my breath stinks or I have poor oral care it would hurt my ego and self esteem. I’m just scared of saying anything and making it awkward or being insensitive or rude. And no he doesn’t struggle with his mental health so its not a he doesnt have the facilities or motivation to do anything about it, because I do struggle with mental health and it’s difficult for me to do so at times but I still try my best to be hygienic and make sure I don’t smell. I’d just like some advice on how to approach this situation or what to say because mentioning this makes me nervous and I dont want to say the wrong thing to him because I care about him and his feelings.
TL;DR I don’t know how to tell my boyfriend his breath smells sometimes and I dont know how to bring it up gently or in a way it wont hurt his feelings or self-esteem