Want a Mint?

Have there ever been those times when you feel like you are going to pass out from some sort of poison eminating from a co-workers mouth? Do you think the person emitting the gas realizes they are causing your brain cells to shut down?

I have to admit, there have been times when I had a sinus infection that I knew my breath was strong enough to take down a flock of seagulls at 100 yards. In those cases though, I have a family size bag of cherry cough drops to mask the scent. I usually get the "who has cherry cough drops" question about a dozen times that day. I guess that's better than walking down the hallway to see people scatter and fall out like the parting of the Red Sea.

When a co-worker walks up with bad breath, is it polite to offer them gum, a mint, one of those breath strips, or a fire hose? I think so. You see, transient bad breath is a very common temporary condition caused by such things as oral dryness, stress, hunger (ketosis), eating certain foods such as garlic and onions, smoking, or poor oral hygiene. "Morning breath" is a common example of transient bad breath. Transient bad breath gradually disappears on its own, with the aid of chewing gum or brushing one's teeth so keep the gum close.

There are those unfortunate people who have chronic bad breath which is a more serious and persistent condition affecting up to 25% of the population in varying degrees. It can negatively impact the individual's personal and business relationships, leading to poor self-esteem and increased stress. This condition is usually caused by persistent overpopulation of certain types of oral bacteria, primarily streptococcus mutans, and requires specialized treatment. Xerostomia (dry mouth syndrome) will increase bad breath problems. In this case, the fire hose is more appropriate, but may affect the person's self esteem...a little.

Lastly, there is the problem my Pickled Liver friends will certainly need to make aware...Fetor hepaticus is a type of severely bad breath caused by chronic liver failure. It has been said to resemble the smell of a freshly opened corpse. Isn't that uplifting? Basically, if you drink like a fish and manage to actually pickle your liver, you will have extremely bad breath. I am not sure which is worst.

This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). Keep a candy dish. I have found in all of my jobs, that when you keep a candy dish on your desk, you can actually use it to cover up certain people's breath. You end up getting the information you need from your foul mouthed friend, but you don't have to pass out in the process.

Everyone sooner or later ends up with bad breath. It may be morning breath, hangover breath, or a diagnosed chronic liver failure, but everyone ends up covering their mouth. If you do, ask for a mint.

Did you know...

More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones.