*tries not to breathe*

[KiaKat]

Regular customer just came in. He's really nice, always sticks around and talks a lot, has a ton of questions, and is generally a sweet person. His wife rocks, though because of both of their school schedules, they don't come in together anymore.

He needs a breath mint.

Badly.

Today was AWFUL. I mean, it's usually pretty bad, but this was HORRENDOUS. I almost choked on myself when I caught a whiff.

Do people not smell their own breath? I generally know when I need a mint, cause my mouth tastes bad!

And of course he stuck around for a while asking questions about our computer system. I'm SO GLAD the phone rang, even if it was Boss2.

[Sheldonrs]

Keep a roll of breath mints with you. When he comes in again, take them out and pop one in your mouth and ask if he'd like one too.

[Der Cute]

Sheldon,

This is one of those nuance/subtle things I get confuzzled on.
Is offering a breath mint to someone always a "hey you have stinky breath, fix it, I'm being polite" things? Do people ever sincerely want to share the breath mints, like sharing their candy/chocolate?

C

[Sheldonrs]

Sheldon,

This is one of those nuance/subtle things I get confuzzled on.
Is offering a breath mint to someone always a "hey you have stinky breath, fix it, I'm being polite" things? Do people ever sincerely want to share the breath mints, like sharing their candy/chocolate?

C

You can use gum instead. Just be sure you pop one in YOUR mouth first so it seems like it's an after thought to give him one.

[PepperElf]

heh this reminds me of the tin of Happy Bunny mints I use to have.

it said on the box, "Your breath made me throw up a little. Enjoy a mint."





obviously it's mean to actually hand someone the tin when you're serious about their breath.
but you can think it.


for a polite approach... the gum one is good
or a dish of mint candies on the counter etc

[Nekojin]

I'll be honest - I have bad breath. It's not something I can really actively do something about, though, unless I want to bankrupt myself buying breath mints/candies/mouthwash. I already brush daily.

But, because I know I have bad breath, I try not to talk directly at other people - I face a bit left or right, or find something "interesting" to be looking at while talking.

[LillFilly]

I know what you eat can affect your breath; it's actually smells coming from the stomach, not in your mouth itself. Although, he could have a fungal infection on his tongue, or tooth decay. If you smell it enough, you get sensitized and don't realize it anymore. Maybe he knows and is just hoping people don't notice.

[Der Cute]

I was asking on the etiquette part of it.

[EricKei]

I do believe that Miss Manners, SC tho she and/or the latest Abby may allegedly be at times, might approve of subtlety --

Popping a mint or piece of gum yourself, then offering him one "as an afterthought" as you're about to put it away, should probably be fine. Offer some to others in his party, as part of it, so he can't say yer targeting him.

[PepperElf]

i wish i could remember the name of the mints i was thinking of too
not the happy bunny ones but the bowl...

you know those pastel colored ones, slightly chalky but ohh so tasty?

those are hard to pass by. especially if there's a nice big bowl of them saying "eat me!"

[AccountingDrone]

Sheldon,

This is one of those nuance/subtle things I get confuzzled on.
Is offering a breath mint to someone always a "hey you have stinky breath, fix it, I'm being polite" things? Do people ever sincerely want to share the breath mints, like sharing their candy/chocolate?

C

I will share mints with people, I was raised that it was impolite to eat something without offering the other person some.

The convenience store we go to [they make killer coffee, they know how to maintain the coffee machine properly!] has these great mints, the flavor is lemon-pomegranite. i am not normally into sweets but htese have a nice sour tang =)

[Seshat]

Multipart response.

Bad breath can be caused by problems anywhere in the respiratory system (including mouth/nose/sinuses), or in the upper digestive tract (including the mouth).

Yes, the most common cause is inadequate mouth hygiene. However, if it's an infection, it will take time to pass (and possibly antibiotic, antiviral or antifungal support). Some conditions require surgery. Others are chronic and can be treated, but not cured. Some of the weirder types of bad breath may be the mix of toothpaste, the illness, and the treatment!

Which, yes, makes it hard to be all Miss Manners about bad breath. If it was definitely hygiene, you could be justified in saying something. But if it is a condition and it's being dealt with as much as possible, well, oops.


As for the breath mint thing: Cutenoob, the answer is 'sometimes'. Sometimes it's just inviting the other person to share a yummy mint. Sometimes it's a hint.
The polite response is to take the mint unless there's a reason not to. If you suspect you're getting offered mints frequently, make sure you brush your teeth after eating, and once a day do a full-on floss/cheek clean/tongue clean.

If you're unsure about your oral hygiene, ask your doctor if your breath smells, and relate your oral hygiene practices. If you're doing okay but your breath is still funny, it's time for your doctor to put his diagnosis hat on!

[ralerin]

@PepperElf: If the mints that I'm thinking of look like This, they are called "Dainty mints" and your local Aid of Rite has them in huge bags, 2/$3.

Unless you also mean the similar/potentially the same of pillow mints, in which case you'd need to order them online or find a specialty candy store.

[telecom_goddess]

i wish i could remember the name of the mints i was thinking of too
not the happy bunny ones but the bowl...

you know those pastel colored ones, slightly chalky but ohh so tasty?

those are hard to pass by. especially if there's a nice big bowl of them saying "eat me!"

I think they are just called party mints and yeah they are yummy. But my favorites are the ones that are like that but are butter mints...OH MY GOD they are good.

[mharbourgirl]

If you're unsure about your oral hygiene, ask your doctor if your breath smells, and relate your oral hygiene practices. If you're doing okay but your breath is still funny, it's time for your doctor to put his diagnosis hat on!

This. Related story: Had a co-worker a few years ago who was a very lovely fellow, but he had hideous breath. And this was a guy who brushed his teeth four times a day and had perfect teeth besides. Noone felt comfortable saying anything, of course, but I'm extremely sensitive to body odours and it was making me ill to be in the same room as him. So after doing some research, I got up the nerve to go to the man privately and very gently ask him if he was feeling well. I told him I'd noticed his breath was a bit whiff and that it was often caused by digestive issues and he might want to see his doctor about it.

Now this could have gone badly, I know, but I made sure he knew I was concerned for his health more than anything else, and he was actually grateful that I'd said something. Even more that I'd made the effort to preserve his privacy and dignity. He HADN'T been feeling well for a long time, and his doctor discovered that he had severe acid reflux disease. Changing his diet radically and starting on acid control meds made a huge difference in his breath, and I'm still glad I got up the nerve to say something.