What is the wisdom behind meeting others with bad breath?

firebreath · Post by **firebreath** » Sat Nov 06, 2010 10:47 am

I hope i do not offend any of my like breathed fellows here, But , I cannot understand the point of these 'meet ups'.
Personally , if i smell someone else's breath , it totally breaks my heart and makes me even more aware of how bad i really smell.

Can those that have had meet ups please enlighten me on what exactly happened and what benefit was gained - in the hope of persuading someone like me to meet up?

azishazi · Post by **azishazi** » Sat Nov 06, 2010 1:06 pm

meetups helped me the most eventhough I've only done it once.

you can ask them, and then know for sure that you really do have it. I met someone who said that I did no have any. So it made me more confused.

I want to meet up with more people just for assurity because recently I feel like I am cured most times but I feel like I have bb alot of times, based on how my mouth feels.

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:50 pm

I'm Arun (Scientist42) and I organize meetups for both breath and body odour sufferers.

We are having a meetup for breath and body odour sufferers 1pm onwards on saturday 11th december 2010. Initially, we will meet outside All Bar One, Leicester Square, London, England.

If anyone is interested in meeting other members (sharing tips and experiences) call me on my mobile 07753 492 759 or email me on [email protected]

90% of the time, people with halitosis can't smell other members with halitosis at the meetups. This is a good reason to come!

Arun

hopelessone · Post by **hopelessone** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:15 pm

Even IF members COULD smell each other, that's no reason NOT to meet.

cool · Post by **cool** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:37 am

Scientist42 wrote: 90% of the time, people with halitosis can't smell other members with halitosis at the meetups.

what do you think is the reason for this?
does that mean a bb sufferer will not be able in the mayority of tries to smell another bb sufferer?
or wont they tell each other honestly?
or do most of them dont have any bb?
or what did you mean by saying so?

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:09 am

Exactly Hopelessone, I fully agree with you. My experience is that members are divided into 2 categories:=

1 those that want to meet others
2 those that don't - maybe they feel shy or don't see the point of it

Those that want to meet others tend to be curious and inquisitive people. There may be many reasons why they wish to attend:-

1 they like to share their own tips and learn what others have tried
2 they are interested in how other bb sufferers cope (at work/ in relationships)
3 they are curious if other group members really won't be able to smell them!
4 because group members usually can't smell each other, they feel less self-conscious and enjoy the socialising. Some group members even have a romance going on with other members!

Arun

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:27 am

Cool,
You want to know why over 90% of members attending our meetups can't smell one another?

what do you think is the reason for this?
The reason is that most of our members must be producing the same chemical odour in their breath and so their nose gets accustomed to this smell
and that's why they can't smell other members' halitosis, no matter how strong it is

does that mean a bb sufferer will not be able in the majority of tries to smell another bb sufferer?
What I am saying is that 9 out of 10 members attending the meetup can NEVER smell other members EVER. Only 1 out of 10 smells other members and will always be able to smell these other members

or wont they tell each other honestly?
We have 2 rules at the meeups. The first is, no photography. The second rule is that if somebody asks you if you can smell them, you must tell them honestly. (otherwise they would not give you an honest answer either!). We are all honest with each other!

or do most of them dont have any bb?
I believe most of them do have halitosis. I believe Halitophobia is mostly a delusion experienced by dentists, doctors and psychiatrists! I am not at all convinced by the evidence

or what did you mean by saying so?
Meet another member from this group and find out for yourself if what I have said is true!
Arun

cool · Post by **cool** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:29 pm

in my paranoid kind of view that concluses 2 things:

-if you ask a random person if you have bb his answer might be inaccurate because of his own bb. so the ppl that denied my bb might just have not been able to smell it. so i can never be sure even if i ask somebody

-if i do smell another ones bb the cance is good i dont have bb myself, atleast not the same kind like him.

i found some bb to be only detectable while the sufferer is talking not while he is breathing on you, i hope you kept that in mind when testing each other.

Phantasist · Post by **Phantasist** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:15 pm

"i found some bb to be only detectable while the sufferer is talking not while he is breathing on you"

Cool,
This is interesting. So if the person exhales directly at you, you can't smell it, but if they are talking, you can.
It would occur to me that if you just exhale, the air rushes from the windpipe through the mouth quickly, while if you're talking the air leaves the mouth more slowly. Does that mean the air has to be in the mouth at least a second or two in order to pick up the odor?

cool · Post by **cool** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:20 pm

i just noticed this i guess a few times so this does not have to falsify that bb might be noticalble by just "breathing" in other cases.
but i red on this forum another poster made similar experiences.

it might be due to the air just rushing through quickly but im not sure if we might miss another factor like something with the vocal cords or something like that. there is a thread in this forum related to this but im not sure what it was called.

Scientist42 · Post by **Scientist42** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 5:58 pm

Cool,
That's right, not everyone can smell faecal breath but this is not the dominant factor. Most people will simply not tell you straight out that your breath smells.

If you want more reliable feedback ask a toddler. Tell him you've eaten something yucky, and ask him to see if he can smell it on your breath.

I think there are different types of bb smells eg faecal, rotten eggs etc. So what I am saying is that someone with faecal breath may not be able to smell another person with faecal breath. But he may be able to smell some people who have rotten egg breath.

During our meetups, we are talking to each other all the time but members generally can't smell one another.

firebreath · Post by **firebreath** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 11:12 pm

90% of the time, people with halitosis can't smell other members with halitosis at the meetups. This is a good reason to come! Smile
Arun

This is news to me , so far I have had no problem smelling some really bad breath, for instance my older brother had it for a very long time (he no longer keeps in touch so i do not know how bad it is now) , and i have met some people with the same kind of smell - the one i get on my floss if i do not floss for a week or so.Maybe I fall into the 10% of those that can smell it.

Actually talking of my brother - I last sat next to him many years ago, his face and mine just inches apart , just before I sat , I got a rush of really a horrendous smell for about 3 seconds then it cleared , I sat with him for a good 20 mins and no smell , not sure where that smell came from me or him? But he offered me a mint ... it was breath for definite.

My personal opinion is those that meet up are simply too nice to say it to each other - no offense to those that are genuinely truthful.

stressedout · Post by **stressedout** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:38 am

This is news to me , so far I have had no problem smelling some really bad breath

Totally agree, to me it makes no sense whatsoever when they say BB sufferers dont smell each other, any bad smell can be SMELLED! It is hard to catch your own one, because it is not directly released at yourself when speaking, but even that is possible! If they can't smell each other, they dont have BB! No need to break your mind to convince yourself otherswise, unless one wants to end up mentally ill.

Phantasist · Post by **Phantasist** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:57 pm

I also don't see the point of meetings for people with bad breath. My own breath is bad enough for me. The last thing I want is to smell more bad breath. And don't tell me I can't smell other people's bad breath. I have always been able to smell bad breath, including my own. There are different breath odors, such as fecal, rotten cheese or onion smell even though the person didn't eat any onions. If you can't smell somebody's bad breath, then you just don't have a sense of smell.

firebreath · Post by **firebreath** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:23 pm

I think what is really practical would be to live with someone with bad breath so the 2 of you could try different techniques , mouth washes , flossing , brushing and dieting so that at the very least control the smell.
BUT , i don't that is such a good thing, since many are married (bless the spouses for putting up with us!!) and many of the same gender do not want to go into such a relationship!