What is the wisdom behind meeting others with bad breath?

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:43 am

Phantacist, I'm not saying that I can't smell other bb sufferers, I can! I can smell unpleasant smells, and I smell many people in society with bad breath.

BUT, out of 30-40 group members I have met, I have so far NEVER been able to smell any of them! All the other members say the same thing! (?)

You think the members were just being kind to each other. Try meeting another member from THIS Group. Then tell me your experience!
All I can say is that it is a puzzling experience as some of these members can actually smell their own breath yet can't still detect anyone else from the group!

Just look at the experience of Azishazi. He HAS met someone from this group before (?) and yet that person could not smell Azishazi!

Firebreath, my experience with members in my group is that their partners will generally lie to them and tell them they can't smell anything because that's what their doctor tells them to say! It is rare that one's partner will give you true feedback. If this were the case, a lot of people on this site would have reduced their problem. If you can find a partner who will give you feedback about the breath, then this is like gold dust!

brightonguy · Post by **brightonguy** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:44 am

Scientist42 wrote:Phantacist, I'm not saying that I can't smell other bb sufferers, I can! I can smell unpleasant smells, and I smell many people in society with bad breath.

BUT, out of 30-40 group members I have met, I have so far NEVER been able to smell any of them! All the other members say the same thing! (?)

This is mind boggling stuff! I was thinking about this the whole of yesterday. Scientist, what you just said above could be crucial though. If you CAN smell BB but not at these meetings then surely these people don't have BB!!?? Fascinating stuff indeed!!

stressedout · Post by **stressedout** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:30 pm

If you CAN smell BB but not at these meetings then surely these people don't have BB!!??

what an easy logic!

but how true!

firebreath · Post by **firebreath** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:02 pm

@ brightonguy , i totally agree ! I have smelt most types of bad breath - some truly offensive with a different smell to mine - not that i smell any good either - point is your nose gets used to your own breath only , just like those people who do not shower for weeks or any other bodily fluids from oneself - of course they cannot get a true sense of the power of their pungency...

stressedout · Post by **stressedout** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:20 pm

point is your nose gets used to your own breath only

thats it! will never believe you can get acclimated to someone else's BB, even if its of a similar kind. if someone has the same BB you do, then smelling it on someone will be like smelling your own breath, but you WILL smell it. come on folks, lets not get so mental to believe otherwise.

brightonguy · Post by **brightonguy** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:18 pm

I can't stop thinking about this! If I can make this meetup in December I'll be really interested to see what I can and can't smell. Sooo interesting.

jc · Post by jc » Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:27 pm

There`s a woman in the TMAU group that had a wet dog smell but only one officemate can smell her. The officemate complained to HR about this so the latter investigated. In the end HR brushed off the complaint because the other officemates can`t smell her.
The TMAU member then went to monell center which specializes with this type of problem.
The doctor found a DNA that`s supposed to make her smell but what buffled them is that not all of them can smell the patient.
If I remember correctly, the doctor & some of his staff can`t smell her but some of the nurses can.

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:46 pm

OK guys, I can see that many of you don't believe people with certain types of bad breath can not smell each other.

What would you say if BrightonGuy (who I've never even met before) came to our meetup and told you he can not smell 90% of the members who have breath odour? Furthermore, that they can't smell his breath odour either.

Would you then think BrightonGuy is falsely imagining his breath problem?
Furthermore, if BrightonGuy can't smell me, will you then think I am falsely imagining I have strong breath odour?

And be fully assured that if BrightonGuy asks me if I can smell him, I will tell him the TRUTH. Furthermore, I expect the same from him (is that fair BrightonGuy?)

We have 2 rules in our meetups:-

1 Members are not allowed to photograph any member (for obvious reasons)
2 If another member separately asks you if you can smell him, you must be absolutely honest. But please tell only that person separately and quietly. Don't jump up and down like you've scored a goal! Don't yell it out to the whole group!

brightonguy · Post by **brightonguy** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 4:06 pm

Fair enough, I think these meetups are a great idea.

Scientist, I guess you've confirmed that these folk do in fact have an odour problem? I think you said in 1 post that 90% of people can't smell each other. Presumably the remaining 10% can validate that this 90% do have an odour.... or you go and order a drink and watch the reactions of the bar staff who, like almost every single person in the world, can't rise above their base biological instincts when confronted with a bad smell?

brightonguy · Post by **brightonguy** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 4:16 pm

I'm cancelling my plans, I've gotta go to this and see for myself!

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:17 pm

BrightonGuy,
One think I must tell you. Not everyone present will have breath odour. Some of the members have breath odour, some have body odour and some have both.
This is because they are from the site I run. Google my name (Arun Nagrath)and you will find it because I don't know if Jimi will like me posting it here.

So, I can't say how many of the members attending will have breath odour.
Anyway, I will definitely be attending, so rest assured, if you ask me separately about your breath odour, I will tell you the truth.

At the XMas Meetup we usually get around 10-12 members coming. Only 2 members I have met have ever said they could smell other members however this was in a smaller gathering of 5 people. Apart from this, I have no independent proof though that the people who attend have an odour. However, many get frequent remarks or hand-over-nose-reactions at work etc.

Are you going to book a hotel or are you returning to Brighton at night? I am staying at the Hotel Strand Continental. The party goes on till late and we celebrate Xmas properly! (hic!)

firebreath · Post by **firebreath** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:32 pm

@brightonguy ,
I must admit brightonguy that this is a great experiment but even if 'scientist' is right , it just means a handful of strangers cannot smell you , and well , the rest of the world can , so no big life changing experience is it?

@scietist,
I think breath problems are different from body odour,body odour can 'attach' itself to your clothes and if u don't clean up quickly or change clothes then , well yes , you will smell.Bad breath is different in that to comes directly from the source - the mouth or nose - and has more chance of being smelled since its linked with the air we breath out.

halitosisux · Post by **halitosisux** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 10:41 pm

Is there any research that has looked into this?
Arun, have any of you who attend these meetups who have this kind of uncertain and conflicting breath feedback, ever been able to correlate what is happening with any scientific measurements, such as gas chromatography tests, or halimeter tests?
Can the people who say they can smell your BB smell it constantly, and vice versa can those who say then cant smell it, never smell it? If its random then it could mean that the odour is being released intermittently rather than constantly.

I sometimes hear people complaining about some other person's body odour, but 99% of the time I have no idea what they are talking about because I cant smell anything. Does this mean my nose is unable to detect certain odours? Does it mean that I have body odour? I think its more likely that my nose is simply unable to detect certain odours.

jc · Post by jc » Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:25 am

halitosisux wrote:Is there any research that has looked into this?

I sometimes hear people complaining about some other person's body odour, but 99% of the time I have no idea what they are talking about because I cant smell anything. Does this mean my nose is unable to detect certain odours? Does it mean that I have body odour? I think its more likely that my nose is simply unable to detect certain odours.

In the case of dogs, glands (when combined)1/3 the size of their body activates in response to detecting different fragrance & odors. In the case of humans, glands the size of a small band aid activates in response to detecting odors & fragrances. Maybe in some people, certain glands don`t activate on certain odors & fragrance.

halitosisux · Post by **halitosisux** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 7:47 am

Its all very confusing.
Also, its not as though its an odour that is difficult to describe and on the edge of the sensory "spectrum" - from what I understand, its mainly fecal odour that people are describing. Fecal/rotten odour is probably the one odour which we've all evolved to be most sensitized to.

Even when there is ever a fecal odour in the air, say when someone farts or farmyard odours in the air, EVERYONE seems to smell that. And its not just people who go to meetups who seem to be unable to smell certain other people's BB (this would be understandable if they themselves were releasing exactly the same odours) but its also supposedly happening with spouses and relatives etc. I think understanding all of this is KEY. If I had the confidence I'd love to go on one of these meetings, even now.