What to do when someone has BAAAAADDDD breath

[kenny]

In the 80s I worked with a guy everyone called 'dogbreath' ... to his face.

Today people are more PC, but honestly his projectile-breath' was so strong you could tell if this guy was anywhere in a very large room.

We know he didn't brush or floss because he once told us he had to go to a dentist for a problem, but the dental hygienist cleaned his teeth against his wishes.
He said afterwards it was gross to feel space between his teeth.
YUCK.

Anyway, what do you do when you're stuck associating with such a person?

Here are some suggestions: http://www.breathmd.com/how-to-tell-someone-they-have-bad-breath.php

 

[sonnyjane]

I don't know if it still exists, but when I was in high school (20 years ago...so who knows) there was a site that would anonymously send notifications like that to people if you had their email address. I don't remember what it was called though haha.

 

[kenny]

I don't know if it still exists, but when I was in high school (20 years ago...so who knows) there was a site that would anonymously send notifications like that to people if you had their email address. I don't remember what it was called though haha.

Actually, that sounds like a good idea.
It would be much less embarrassing for the person.
But then, of course, (s)he'd suspect everyone (s)he knows of sending it.

 

[stracci2000]

I used to work with a woman who had terrible breath.
Nobody could stand to be around her.
One day I saw her holding her jaw and in pain from a toothache.
She went to a dentist, and he discovered a rotten tooth that needed pulling.
After the tooth was pulled, she no longer had the bad breath.

 

[missy]

I didn't click onto the link yet but this is what I would do. I would gently tell the person If I knew the person well enough (as I wouldn't tell someone who I was not at least on a friendly basis with so they would get I was coming from a good place and not a malicious mean one) so he/she could fix it.

If it was from a health issue it would be important to figure that out since bad breath could signal a more serious health issue. And if it is just from bad hygiene it is important for them to know that too because could will eventually affect their overall health. Not to mention you would be helping them out socially too. There is a soft way to do it. Gently and in private and just because you care about the person as a human being.

Of course most people won't want to bother but I would because I know in a reversed situation I would want someone to tell me.

 

[PintoBean]

I'd offer a mint or gum as I popped one in my mouth, or to grab them a water with lemon or green tea and make one for myself as well. That way, it's not like I'm singling them out, but moreso sharing.

 

[daintyG]

I had a manager with chronic horrible breath. She appeared to have very severe plaque on her bottom teeth and discoloration. Is that a sign of gum disease or something? I think she had a real dental health issue, but could not afford to or would not go to a dentist. Anyway, she would not take gum and occasionally would take a mint.

When I reported for a shift I had to talk to her. She would stand closer to me than I am usually comfortable and talked with a strong force behind her words. I would purse my lips just to keep them from getting sprayed with her awful breath. I would also try to hold my breath and only inhale at strategic times. Sometimes I would even step back a bit or turn my head to inhale. When we finally got through talking I would excuse myself and go wash my face in the bathroom. Honestly I felt like I needed to change clothes, too, but what can you do? Sometimes we would end up having to talk again during my shift.

I never told her. She was my boss. I honestly think she knew, but maybe didn't understand how bad it was or how she managed to put lots of wind behind her words and make it worse. I read the article and I had tried a couple of the more subtle suggestions. There were other reasons I hated working for this woman, and I found a new job asap.

 

[kenny]

Yeah, unfortunately people vary.
Many do not learn to brush and floss as kids because parents themselves are not informed or don't care.

The privacy of families is sacred.
You can't legislate good parenting.
Perhaps it could/should be taught to small children in a mandatory health class.

My parents didn't use, or teach us, about floss.
We kids brushed but it was not enforced daily.
By the time I was 18 most of my molars already had fillings and already had one crown.

Military boot camp is where I finally learned about flossing and complete dental hygiene which must included professional cleanings twice a year.
ETA: One guy in boot camp had not only never brushed or flossed, he had never SEEN or heard of tooth brushes.

 

[kenny]

I had a manager with chronic horrible breath. She appeared to have very severe plaque on her bottom teeth and discoloration. Is that a sign of gum disease or something

Almost certainly.
When plaque is not removed daily by floss/brushing it builds up and turns to tartar/calculus, both visible and below the gums.
The gums react by pulling away from the teeth and pockets form that with bacteria.
If not addressed in the dentists office the pockets get deeper and deeper (beyond the reach of floss) and leads to bone loss and tooth loss.
Even if you have excellent home care you still need professional cleanings twice a year.

A quick Goole reveals around half of Americans have gum disease.

I blame Trump.

 

[tyty333]

Oh gosh, I used to work with a sub contractor that had the worst bad breath. He also smoked (smelled badly), and stole my ideas
and presented them as his own. We had cubicles and I could hear him passing off my ideas at meetings. So many reasons
not to like the guy. Early on he used to come to me for help and I would hold my breath as long as possible but there was just no getting
away from the odor...it really made me want to puke.

After I heard him using my ideas as his own I just told him I didnt have time to help him. Got rid of him and his bad breath.
Later he was "released" from his contract. He came over and asked me to put in a good word for him...I just said I had to go.
There was no way I was going to make an effort to help him out (that was because he stole ideas, not because he had bad breath).

What I dont understand is how people dont know they have bad breath especially when its chronic?

 

[momhappy]

^It's likely sensory adaptation and someone who has bad breath, probably doesn't even smell it. We had a contractor who had horrible breath.... I could even smell it in the air for quite a while after he would leave I recently had some more work done in my kitchen and I noticed that he didn't have bad breath any more, so either someone told him or he had some kind of dental work that addressed the underlying cause of the bad odor

 

[Alybetter]

Actual halitosis or folks with rotten teeth (which they cannot afford to tend) to breaks my heart. I can only imagine how hurt someone would be if their bad breath was pointed out to them and it was a result of something they couldn't control.

I don't think there's any excuse for poor hygiene, but some folks still get caries even if they do brush and floss every day. So many Americans don't have dental insurance, both those who are working and those who are over 18 on Medicare