# Why do some sneezes stink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964 "2003-08-09T02:35:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Azi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Azi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/1 "2003-08-09T02:35:55Z")
Asking for a friend. As I understand, anything she sneezes on has a strange stink shortly afterwards. She asked me why this is and I have no idea other than possibly caused by foul stuff in the sinuses or lungs. I searched quickly on google and found nothing there. Any ideas as to what causes the odor? ---
**Author:** ![NBIT33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NBIT33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NBIT33)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/2 "2003-08-09T02:58:09Z")
She is jarring loose plaque from her teeth, and the foul-smelling saliva/plaque combination gets sprayed up into her nose where she can smell it. hand, nbit ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/3 "2003-08-09T03:03:32Z")
Try licking your hand. Not a dry lick, but a saliva loaded lick. Let it sit for a minute, now smell. Not as funky as a juicy fart, but a little bit of funk if you get your nose right up to it. Mucus has odor. ---
**Author:** ![Azi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Azi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/4 "2003-08-09T03:06:25Z")
Ah, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/5 "2003-08-09T05:01:45Z")
Plaquey tounges are the key. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/6 "2003-08-09T11:44:00Z")
Stinky sneezes can also be caused by the expulsion of tonsiliths. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/7 "2003-08-09T12:35:53Z")
I asked this question a while back because I’ve noticed that often when I experience a violent sneeze that occurs without much warning, it smells, well… not exactly unpleasant, but rather aromatic and musky. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-some-sneezes-stink/193964/8 "2003-08-09T17:10:00Z")
**Mangetout** , it sounds like your sneezes smell like my balls.