# bad breath



## gongey (8 Feb 2008)

how do you tell someone their breath is so bad it is killing flowers on the other side of the room? 

i generally meet this person in a social capacity, in the pub more than not. I find myself having cigarette breaks every five minutes just to get a bit of fresh air. 

I'm overly conscious of my breath particularly as I smoke and will have the necessary mints and gum to deal with it.


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## ClubMan (8 Feb 2008)

gongey said:


> how do you tell someone their breath is so bad it is killing flowers on the other side of the room?


Break it to them more gently than that? And don't exaggerate like that?


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## ninsaga (8 Feb 2008)

Keep offering them mints or gum very frequently - they may get the hint or even come right out and ask..... no one gets to offended then.


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## snuffle (8 Feb 2008)

ninsaga said:


> Keep offering them mints or gum very frequently - they may get the hint or even come right out and ask..... no one gets to offended then.



agreed - copious offering of your stash of mints, failing that drop into conversation how you always feel you need to check your breath frequently (being a smoker) as you'd hate to have bad breath unknownst to yourself,might start the cogs ticking over in their minds as to their own breath...


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## Sylvester3 (8 Feb 2008)

They should be made aware of it by someone close to them. Bad breath 'could' be an indication of deeper health problems than just bad oral hygiene


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## gongey (8 Feb 2008)

Break it to them more gently than that? And don't exaggerate like that?

thanks for that helpful advice. the humour was lost, but the exaggeration is possibly true. There are no flowers in my pub. 

and I asked the question how to break it to someone, not that I was going to say something like that.

for the other helpful answers, this lad doesn't like chewing gum or mints so its a bit of a puzzler.


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## truthseeker (8 Feb 2008)

can you not just say it to him?

you know, something along the lines of: 

listen, this isnt good to hear but im sure you prefer to be told - your breath smells, its no big deal but i thought id bring it to your attention as a friend.


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## Caveat (8 Feb 2008)

truthseeker said:


> listen, this isnt good to hear but im sure you prefer to be told - your breath smells, its no big deal but i thought id bring it to your attention as a friend.


 
Exactly. I would also add the possible reasons - e.g. diet, poor dental hygiene. But I think there is such a thing as _non-specific halitosis_ (or whatever) so specialist oral hygiene products might be required.


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## gongey (8 Feb 2008)

i'd like to be honest but you just never know how people will react so I'd prefer not to be in the position. 

i was toyin with the idea of saying something to his girlfriend and see if she might say something to him. but maybe she fell in love with his breath or something like that and she'd lose it.


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## ClubMan (8 Feb 2008)

Send him an anonymous letter?


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## pc7 (8 Feb 2008)

maybe just say -"Where you eating garlic last night"?


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## gongey (8 Feb 2008)

the letter is a good idea. i saw that on the net as a suggestion

no messing, i don't mind a garlic based breath, you can handle it, but this comes from the depths and is like chemicals. i'd say its to do with this lads teeth more than anything else. i'm not sure gum, mints, or domestos would sort it long term


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## ClubMan (8 Feb 2008)

Could you perhaps stop meeting this person in a social capacity and thereby solve the problem (from your point of view anyway)?


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## gongey (8 Feb 2008)

not really - all part of a gang that hit the local for matches. obviously it bothers me but its not entirely for my benefit that I'd like something said - he's a sound fella and i wouldn't want anyone saying anything bad about him - I can sit well away on the other side of the bar though the bar is quite small. but i think he should get something done for himself.


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## REMFAN (8 Feb 2008)

truthseeker said:


> can you not just say it to him?
> listen, this isnt good to hear but im sure you prefer to be told - your breath smells, its no big deal but i thought id bring it to your attention as a friend.


 
I'm sure the family will inform you when the funeral is, he'd die of shame if the OP said that!!!!

A discreet, sensitive word with his girlfriend is the best way forward. You could say you are due a dental visit and could he recommend a dentist? You could say you visited a certain dentist recently and got some work done at a fair price and that the dentist was telling you that only half of Irish people visit their dentist (sound shocked at this 'fact') It might get him thinking.


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## ClubMan (8 Feb 2008)

REMFAN said:


> A discreet, sensitive word with his girlfriend is the best way forward.
> 
> ...
> 
> It might get him thinking.


Strange girlfriend?


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## Simeon (8 Feb 2008)

A few years ago I had an employee who suffered from halitosis. After several mild hints I produced a small bottle of mouthwash and explained in a nice way that I used this myself several times a day. A little embarassed (he had a gum problem) he took up my offer with gusto, mouthwashd several times a day, his confidence grew and after six or eight months visited a dentist, had the infected stumps removed and got a false plate. Everything sorted. Now, I realise that not all halitosis is like his, but I'm sure most can be improved on.


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## REMFAN (8 Feb 2008)

ClubMan said:


> Strange girlfriend?


 
Not only is love blind, it evidently lacks the sense of smell


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## REMFAN (8 Feb 2008)

Simeon said:


> A few years ago I had an employee who suffered from halitosis. After several mild hints I produced a small bottle of mouthwash and explained in a nice way that I used this myself several times a day. A little embarassed (he had a gum problem) he took up my offer with gusto, mouthwashd several times a day, his confidence grew and after six or eight months visited a dentist, had the infected stumps removed and got a false plate. Everything sorted. Now, I realise that not all halitosis is like his, but I'm sure most can be improved on.


 
It's difficult to call this as we don't the the person in question. It wasn't a huge deal to your employee Simeon, he took it on the chin (so to speak!).
It might help if the OP told us a little about the personality of his friend. Do you think he'd be the type that would be somewhat embarassed but get over it, or would he be offended/never want to face you again?


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## Simeon (9 Feb 2008)

The idea is to get the message across gently without leaving a bad taste in the mouth - so to speak.


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## dodo (9 Feb 2008)

You could say something like what where you eating for dinner ?but remember there is a good chance this person already knows they have bad breath,If you are not meeting them 7 days a week then I would leave well enough alone.


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## PM1234 (9 Feb 2008)

This person doesn't seem to be a close friend of the OP so I think if it was me - I'd prefer dodo's suggestion. If someone produced a bottle of mouthwash I'd be mortified 

Maybe laugh and say something along the lines of 'were you eating garlic -  here have some mints' 

p.s. its not a smell from alcohol is it? E.g. Guinness can sometimes really give off a foul smell (not always but it can affect some people's breath)?


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## ClubMan (9 Feb 2008)

PM1234 said:


> p.s. its not a smell from alcohol is it? E.g. Guinness can sometimes really give off a foul smell (not always but it can affect some people's breath)?


Isn't that problem usually at the other end?


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## Sue Ellen (9 Feb 2008)

gongey said:


> I find myself having *cigarette breaks* every five minutes just to get a bit of *fresh air*



Bit of a contradiction there.  If you're having cigarette breaks every five minutes perhaps he thinks you smell of cigarettes and is too polite to say so.

IMHO if he and his girlfriend are happy enough, it doesn't both either of them and you would not like to upset him then leave well enough alone.


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## liteweight (10 Feb 2008)

gongey said:


> no messing, i don't mind a garlic based breath, you can handle it, but this comes from the depths and is like chemicals. i'd say its to do with this lads teeth more than anything else. i'm not sure gum, mints, or domestos would sort it long term



Maybe the 'chemical' smell is his mouthwash??

Diabetes can cause the breath to smell sickly sweet and chemically(?).


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## gongey (11 Feb 2008)

just a few answers to earlier posts.

this lad smokes and drinks guinness. my increased smkoing wouldn't bother the lad.

he's a friend but not a close personal friend. but i'd meet him and the gang a few times during the week. 

he's not a sensitive person to date. i think he'd be able to handle it - but maybe from someone closer to him - ie the girlfriend

his teeth look like they need a bit of work alright - maybe its a dental problem.

thanks for all comments. I think i'll keep my mouth shut and hope he does the same.


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## ClubMan (11 Feb 2008)

gongey said:


> this lad smokes and drinks guinness.


Part of the problem perhaps?


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## gongey (11 Feb 2008)

definitely doesn't help but most of us (friends and myself) drink guinness and smoke and would not be at the same level as this breath.


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## Sue Ellen (11 Feb 2008)

gongey said:


> would not be at the same level as this breath.



There lies the answer - try not to be at the same level as the bad breath


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## stir crazy (12 Feb 2008)

Dont take the weight of the world upon your shoulders. Theres always someone insensitive enough to let him know about his bad breath in exactly the ways you are trying to avoid.  What about his close family and closest friends ? Surely they must know and have told him without the usual worry about formal protocol which occurs when people aren't so close.  Its' quite possible he knows he has bad breath but hasnt found a solution for it yet.  In which case you reminding him will only upset him and make his mental state worse and possibly make you wish you had said nothing.


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## Simeon (12 Feb 2008)

Yes, this may be the best option. He may know but not realise how bad things are. Or may be too embarassed to seek help. On the medical side ...... how come air we breathe in can become foul in seconds? After all, we all have the same mechanisms from the lips to the lungs.  I understand the bit about 'seepage' from behind an implant etc. but if it is from the tummy ....... I thought there was a type of non-return valve that God had inserted to stop exactly this kind of thing.


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## Gordanus (22 Feb 2008)

Simeon said:


> I thought there was a type of non-return valve that *God* had inserted to stop exactly this kind of thing.



No, no, the Flying Spaghetti Monster!!! 

There is however a cashier at my local Superquinn that everyone avoids.....for the 3 years that I've been using it, her breath stinks up a 5 metre radius.  I can't believe that nobody has mentioned it to her...or that she's wonderred why she has the shortest queues..


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## Simeon (22 Feb 2008)

Some years ago, the very funny and talented Russ Abbot sang a song called "Smelly Feet". 'Twas hilarious ....... and it gave the upside of having such a problem etc. It was sung to the tune of "Lucky Lips" made famous by Ms. C Richards.


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## ClubMan (22 Feb 2008)

_Russ Abbot_? Hilarious? Are you sure that you're not mistaken?


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## Simeon (22 Feb 2008)

Apparently not. That's why it was called Russ Abbot's MADHOUSE. I may be stuck in a bit of a timewarp here. The only thing I can deduce is that you are younger than the wisdom of your posts reflect.


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