I’m prepared to accept that most people in the world don’t have absolutely perfect breath. I can allow for the normal range of human imperfection.
But when people you work with breathe the most evil, hideous reek — powerful enough to knock a buzzard off a garbage truck — and then insist on getting close to your face and talking right at your nose, and you can’t breathe? Yesterday this guy was giving me a ride at lunchtime and talking. Arghgh, I had to zip my jacket up over my nose so I could survive the stink assault. He asked, Are you cold? and cranked the heat up.
Your livelihood depends on getting along with the people at work. It isn’t a place you want to go making enemies if you can help it. But how can you tell them their breath is evil? They’ll probably never forgive you. Might as well apply for a new job now. There are two like that at my work now. Some days it gets so bad I think I’m gonna die. I’m desperate here. HELP!!!
First of all, are we talking food odor or poor oral hygiene odor. Not that it makes much of a difference, but it’s sometimes easier to tell a person their breath smells of something like garlic, onion, or curry. I’ll tell anyone about food odor if I have to be close to them because it is something that is easily controlled and you sometimes cannot detect the odor yourself.
Poor oral hygiene, tooth decay and/or gum disease cause a different type of odor, often quite putrid. It can be very difficult to tell someone about this type of halitosis. Avoidance is not always possible and you may not feel you know the person well enough to politely broach the subject. You can, however, play dumb and attribute it to food odor, hoping the person takes the hint.
You might want to speak to your supervisor about the problem. Tell him/her that the person’s breath makes you physically ill and ask that something be done. In most organized shops employees are expected to meet certain standards of appearance and hygiene and this person is obviously not meeting them.
Of course, you can always invest in a bottle of mouthwash and leave it on the person’s desk - maybe along with a copy of the firm’s dental insurance plan (if any).
If he has to work with the public, I think it’s BEST you tell him directly.
I wouldn’t even bring in your manager or surpervisor. Why involve MORE people and cause him more embarrasment?
It’s not going to be a pleasant job (politely pulling him aside and telling him that his breath is rank) but it’s MORE respectful than talking badly behind his back, or letting him embarrass himself.
I honestly could just not be aware he has a problem.
Clue him in and give him a chance to correct the prob, before you speak badly about him or report him.
We are all human. These things can be expected. It would be much more compasionate of you to politely bring this to his attention.
It seems that people who do not eat breakfast have bad breath. I mentioned this to a couple of people, but I knew them very well. Guess I’d offer the mints. I do that on airline trips.
I’d agree with the suggestion to offer a mint, or even just a piece of candy. My favorite approach is to say, “Hey, have you tried these? They’re great!”
