Bad Breath Halitosis Forum

I saw a program on TV about a research company that had developed a device that could detect if someone had tuberculosis from their breath.
I thought they might have some core competencies, which they could extend to do some research on people like us, so I sent them the following email:

'Hi,
I was watching the BBC news today and saw the piece on Rapid Biosensor Systems and the work you have done in developing the TB Breathalyser.
On visiting your website, I noticed that this was your first product.
I am writing to suggest a product which I think you should consider either immediately or in the near future (preferably the former).
The reason why I am writing is that I have a problem with halitosis, and have come across several people over the web who have this problem.
However, there is not enough research into this area in terms of finding a cure for this terribly dilapidating and confidence eroding situation, and the medical profession does not appear to have a solution for chronic sufferers.
Most of the people I have been in touch with (including myself) have been to dentists, ENT specialists e.t.c. for several appointments, and we are no where closer to a resolution, and the current methods of even measuring the issue (halimeters) are not accurate from what I hear.
I was wondering if your company would be willing to look into the idea of doing some research to help either detect, or cure/reduce the effects of this issue.
I would be willing to put you in touch with others who I am sure would wholly support any research you may be willing to do.

I hope to hear from you soon
Kind regards'

They have sent me the following reply:

Dear Mr (edit) Haligone,

May I thank you for the interest you have shown in visiting our web site, and not least for taking the time to contact our Technical Director (she is a chemical physicist) about your idea.

To say that I sympathise with the sufferers from this condition, is putting it mildly. Regrettably, many of my colleagues tend to either treat this condition as "something that will go away with time" or just another example of "that is life, live with it."

I cannot and do not agree with this attitude as I am only too well aware of the personal and psychological damage such a so-called 'simple condition' can cause.

To find the individual cause however, is not simple. You yourself have stated that you have visited many practitioners with it would seem, little success. This too, I can understand as for me the causal factors range from some complex and deep seated fungal infestations, to a case of bad teeth and anywhere in between, and you can also sit the cause anywhere in the middle of that vast list of potential culprits.

In general, I would look for the simple answer first such a diet and the type of foodstuff consumed. A diet of spicy, shall I say Indian type foods may not agree with the person consuming them, or could set up a gastric imbalance that results in smell and/or taste, that affects the person and those around them.

It might be cavities in the teeth that are literally rotting, lesions in the upper throat, sinus exudate; and so on.

The list is huge, but I urge you not to accept the unfortunately expected "take this and see me in two weeks if it does not get better" attitude, but to continue to return to the GP you have and be gently forceful by insisting that it will have a cause and it WILL be treatable, given sufficient time and attention by our wonderful NHS (lol) Do you have BUPA?

Again my sincere thanks for your interest and I hope that the content of this email will assist you. I am sure you will understand that I absolutely can not, and will not comment on a personal case basis, but wish you every success in the future.

Best wishes,'
End of email reply



From the reply it appears that for once this is someone who actually understands a bit more about halitosis than the average doctor/dentist/scientist, but alas, there does not appear to be any suggestion of help on the way.
I am guessing them saying they are 'chemical physicists' implies they would know nothing about halitosis?
oh well, at least I tried!![/b]

Thank you for sending the email. Although the responder is not going to help in a practical sense, they at least appear to be aware of the conplexity and seriousness of this malady.

(i soooooo wish they would help though...their knowledge is invaluable)

Maybe it is easier for the guy who replied to list the causes that he did since he wouldn't have to be the one who had to find a solution.
Maybe all practitioners know the real causes and complexities of BB but feign ignorance to stop us asking questions and pushing them for a solution which might take time to find.

Another fine example of someone in the medical field being absolutely unhelpful. How many times have we been through this?! And how many more times will we have to ask people to kick us in the head?

PS: No reflection on you, Haligone.

I wonder how long a stinking rich person would have to live with BB - bet it wont have to be for very long.

Phantasist wrote:Another fine example of someone in the medical field being absolutely unhelpful. How many times have we been through this?! And how many more times will we have to ask people to kick us in the head?

PS: No reflection on you, Haligone.

I know!! They developed a product that could determine whether you had TB within 2 minutes if you blew into it, as opposed to the traditional method which took 2 weeks to diagnose. The product was so good it came on BBC.
You would think that if they were bothered, they could develop something that would at least accurately measure BB, but they don't care!!

they probably got grant money to develop it.

They probably don't care about us...
Let's be objective, we do not exist in the eyes of most of researchers and mere mortals.
Have you noticed there is a victim mentality? We for sure suffer of something, but we are not making criminal statements about every person that doesn't take hardcore involvement into halitosis treatment. I guess you shouldn't hope for a rich guy to come, because he certainly won't. Common guys, wake up and realize your group potential!

huh?

Guys, you are not realistic. You come from nowhere, hoping that a company is willing to make a new business plan to include your fresh idea of using their device to make them able to detect types of halitosis. It's just not as the world works. I think the answer of the woman was quite sympathetic considering your request who is quite unrelated. (Related for you maybe).
Bring some solid plan on the table, with money, method, objectives. Sending that kind of mail is better than nothing, but not much better. For that company you were probably just one despaired guy concerned by the future of some other bunch of despaired guys, nothing more!

I know that's brutal but there is super immense majority of people on that board thinking that as soon as they send a mail or bring some sort of action, the world is going to say "oh shit your concept is brilliant, I went on the internet and you are so true! It's not fair that you have halitosis, I'm making a cure that night and give you a hug on the cheek because the world has been so mean with you."

Some of you should make a reality check...

Haligone,
Thanks for taking time to write that letter. I do believe all things happen for a reason and although it may seem to SOME as a waste of time.... for us others out there we know sometimes you never know who you are gonna run across that might be able to help us.

I mean look at the Harry Potter lady......she was on WELFARE and now she is a billionaire HELLO! Anything is possible!!!

Susie

Thanks Susie.
Thomas, this is not just some random company that I wrote to. They are a research company that has made a product that measures a condition using the breath of a patient!!
Surely if anyone could use expertise that they already have to help people like us, then it has to be a company like them!!

I bet if they had offered to help you wouldn't be here ranting rubbish!! You never know until you ask!!

Oh well, as they say, opinions are like arseholes, everybody's got one!!

I'm not a physical chemist or a microbiologist, so I won't make an argument "it's close, not very close"...

With the email I red, you didn't ask if according to them their technology can be used to do what you want (I mean, with few effort and money needed). So I gave the answer you red.

At the very least, what we could use is a reliable, portable electronic device that gives accurate measurements of the volatile sulfur compounds in our breath, like a breathalizer. There are a myriad of causes for bb, but the actual chemicals that cause the smell are just a few. At least we could use the device for feedback as to what techniques are working or not. Otherwise we're in the dark, and tend to jump from one "cure" to another never knowing which one might be helping or hurting. The scientific method requires accurate data, without which we cannot hope to arrive at a cause or cure.

Haligone, I suggest writing back to this person and suggest such a device would have a huge potential market. That's the kind of language that a corporation understands. Even people with mild bb might buy the device if it were priced right. Personally, I would pay up to $1000 for such a device.

Hope4now, those were my thoughts at the time I sent the email through, however if they did get grant money to develop the TB product as hopelessone suggested (which is very plausible), then they are unlikely to be interested in developing a product from scratch without assistance. (in which case we should be appealing to the government for funding, and we all know how far that is going to get us!!).

Plus, from their reply, they do not give any hints that they would be at all interested in developing the sort of product we are talking about. Personally I don't think there is any point in chasing this further.