Body odour & bad breath

[c_niekerk]

I am a 24 year old male who has been suffering from Body odour / bad breath for the past 3 and a half years. I first noticed this issue, when people started covering their noses discreetly when I am around, i went to see my GP. i was advise to step up my personal hygenie. I started taking showers and brushing twice daily. but this didn't seem to change this. The problem is almost ruined my life. Over the past 3 years, i have had a tonsillectomy, had a camera inserted into digestive system, through my bum and again though my mouth (endoscopy), had numerous scans, blood and urine tests. All to no avail. the only thing they ever found was some ulcers in the stomach which was treated. I have also tried some complimentary medicine on my our own. My GP also sent me for some counselling -which i attended -but i am pretty sure the problem is not in my head. There is no history of this kind of thing in my family and I cant think of anything from my past that could have caused this. I work in a professional job, and I find it very depressing for work mates to cover there nose when you walk pass them or give opinions in meetings. At first i thought I was been picked on, but even people that i do not know (in supermarkets, public transport etc) do the same. even worse on the personal front - very difficult to make / keep friends. I invest a lot in perfumes, deodorants and the like, but they dont seem to work for me. How can I rescue the rest of my life from this problem? Or is this just what I am? Please help me out of this misery.

[Scarlett]

Are you absolutely positive that you do actually smell/have bad breath? Has anyone actually told this to your face, or are you just guessing from their actions?

[Lindy Loo]

Poor you, you are going through it. Been having a think and came up with a few ideas and questions for you. Bad breath can be caused by dental problems. Do you go the dentist regularly? Have a chat with them, it could be tooth decay or gum problems. It can also be the result of things such as spicy food, garlic,etc, do you eat alot of these things?. Have you tried mouth wash, breath fresher, mints etc. These may help but won't totally eliminate the problem if it's a dental one. As far as the body odour is concerned, are you sure it is 'b/o'? I'm sorry to appear rude and personal but it could be smells clinging to your clothes, if they are left wet too long after being washed they get musty. Same happens if they don't dry quick enough. You said your 'professional', I assume you wear a suit...if so, get it cleaned regularly, as body and other smells will cling. What about shoes/trainer? I have hot feet and and boy...mine empty a room!!! Try alternating which ones you wear so they 'air' between wearings and go bare foot whenever poss. Feet only sweat when enclosed!!! As this started 3/4 years ago, if it was a totally 'personal' problem I would have thought you'd have noticed it before. So what has changed since your late teens?? Hope this has given you a few ideas.

[c_niekerk]

Thank you both Lindy and Scarlett. I am as sure as I can ever be that there is an untowards smell coming from me. The consellor that i saw also tried to make me believe that the problem is imaginary. I had one person (a friendly receptionist at one of my previous offices)tell me in the early day about the fact that my BO was a bit loud. But i have overheard lots of indirect conversation about the fact that i smell. I have tried (and continue) to use mouthwash, mints, freshners, flossing, six monthly visits to the dentists, vitamins, minerals etc. When I raise the issue with dentists they tend to say "everything is alrite in the mouth, the problem might be in the stomach". My mouth always seem to have a bitter taste every time. With regards to clothing I always ensure i wear cotton material always and never wear the same clothes twice before washing. my suits are also cleaned regularly. The only remarkable thing that happened since my late teens is that i returned to the UK after seven year in a tropical climate abroad. And the problem appear to start a year into that. This should not really be a big deal as thousands move to different climate every year. without any problems like this...

[Lindy Loo]

So this started around 18yrs, if I read right? Is you Dr. aware of all you have told us? Being abroad, when it started, etc. As you have tried most things, I'd be inclined to go back to him, and if he has been, or is, unsympathetic, I'd consder changing to one who is. You mentioned you've had blood tests, but depending on what they were for, they may not have shown up the problem. It could be hormonal, overactive glands, digestive etc. Please persevere with the GP, I'm sure the answer is there somewhere!! Take care and good luck

[auro]

This may sound a bit odd, but do you smoke weed ? I know many people who this has affected in a BO way.

[bluedolphin]

u said u were abroad...could it be that u have picked up a fungal/skin problem cos of ur stay in the tropical climate...and believe me they can pong!if this is the case u will the spores will probably be on ur clothes especially the armpits and groin area... why dont u go to a tropical disease dept at a hospital ...and ask them if they can help.... or even google and see... good luck.... regarding bad breath go to see an oral hygenist...and gargle after meals and before sleeping...it will take a few months of rigorous brushing and gargling to show any results....good luck.

[zgma]

Maybe you have a food allergy that is affecting you this way?? I can imagine that going to a different country and changing your diet for a while would trigger a food allergy. Try going to an allergist to get tested, or try a diet for a few weeks that doesn't include foods that are very allergenic (dairy, wheat, alcohol, eggs) and see if it helps.

[c_niekerk]

A warm thank you all of you kind contributors... To comment on some of the issues raised so far, 1.my GP was very understanding of the issue but I have had to move from the locality and I am currently seeing another GP who doesnt seem to understand that the issue is a real problem. 2. I have never smoked either cigarette or weed or any other substance. I am not a heavy drinker either. on average 1 pint a week. 3. I do feel hot and sweaty around the armpits and groin area very often, despite deodrants. 4. I will look for a dental hygenist and a food allergist to see if they can help me. Are dental allergies the same as dentists?

[DrWu]

I realise that this is probably not the answer you want to read but there is a possibility that you are sufferring from a psychological condition called body dysmorphic disorder.(a google search will turn up lots of useful information) That's probably why your GP referred you for counselling. Sadly counselling is not effective for this condition, you would probably benefit from a proper assessment/diagnosis by either a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist and then a course of cognitive behavioural therapy has some proven effectivness for BDD Even if it turns out that you do not have BDD then at least it's one more thing elininated from the list of possible explanations! Good luck

[pachamacha]

It might also be useful for you to do some sort of detox. I think checking for food allergies and skin infections are the way to go. Good luck!

[lennac700]

I wish I were writing with a possible cure. I too suffer a very similar problem. Very bad breath. For 15 years now. I have had my tonsils removed. I had a tooth removed where I thought I detected a bad smell. I have tried every bad breath product on the market and internet. I have tried holistic products, aloe vera juice, chorophyl, and colon hydotherapies. 99% of the people I work with and encounter back away from me in horror when I talk. I try not to talk at all anymore but I work so it's very hard. the other 1% are comprised of my immediate family and my dentist(s) and most doctors who can't smell a thing. My primary dentist insists that I dont' have bad bread and thinks I'm imagining it. The worst part is that I feel that my mouth is clean. I brush, floss, clean my tongue but I am ALWAYS offered mints and rarely have a social companion for more than a few seconds. People literally cover their noses and back away with a frown when I talk. Good luck C. I would never wish this on my worst enemy. I pray that we both find a cure. Promise to share if you do.

[c_niekerk]

thank you lennac700 for taking time to share your experience. unless one is actually being through this sort of problem, it is difficult to imagine the agony of rejection that comes with. i've been to the dental hygenist twice this week and i am making plans to see an allergist... i intend to keep digging until i breakthrough. will publish any real progress made.

[Treys]

I'm with you. Exactly the same thing started in late teens for me. "The experts" say that's common, as it may have to do with hormonal changes. Yada yada yada. I got rid of tonsils first, too. Then gastroscopy. Also test for bactrerial overgrowth in stomach. Etc etc. Needless to say, none of those gave result I was looking for -ie the cause. And this was all *after* I'd been to the specialists. I can tell you about the 'specialists'. There's this clinic by Regent's Park, they basically give the following advice: Clean tongue morning/eve + after any protein-heavy meal (to get rid of bacteria which live there). Drink around 3L water a day (too feed saliva flow). Careful with protein (as the bacteria in mouth love protein - and once they've fed on it, they expel stinky odour). Eat regular meals, and don't skip breakfast (this is to keep the saliva flowing, which in turn flushes bacteria away). This does help lots of people, and I followed the advice, but still wasn't sure if it helped... got unsure, and went to GP and checked stomach et al, as described above. After eliminating those other causes I'm back focusing on the oral hygiene, again. That's what they all say, so I'm gonna give it one last whack. Focus: the tongue. That clinic, btw, charges like hundreds of GBP (I escaped payment though). Exactly the same advice can be found in the e-book 'The Bad Breath Report' on www. That's like 20 bucks, so I'd go for that, unless it's all old hat for you and you know all this. Does it help? Well, we shall see. I think psychology does come into it, too, but it's not the cause. Wow, I can babble on about this for hours. Here's hoping they'll find a way to permanently alter the oral pH of a person, as apparently a certain pH creates an environment that these ******* bacteria love. I'll check back here soon, maybe we can come up with something. Please update...

[alina]

Hi c_niekerk,

I have kind of the same problem ...didn't have a tonsilectomy, though, as I was told that their presence is pretty important as a barrier to stop infections pass through our throat.

I have had all my teeth crowened -and no decays in there.

I used to eat "industrial" quantities of chewing gum and mints --I almost got an ulcer on my stomach.

Right now, I am using a tongue scrapper after every meal and also brush my teeth after every meal --this means I take the toothpaste, toothbrush, and the scrapper with me at work and at the restaurants, too. It helps.

Regarding to the sweatting under the armpit -I have had this problem, but not anymore. The nightmare when I was distroing my blouses in the armpit region is over. I have found at Walgreens in US the miracle antiprespirant. As I am not sure I can post the product name here, please e-mail me: [Email address removed in accordance with site policy - AB Editor] They might have a similar product in UK.

[c_niekerk]

Many thanks for your contribution, Alina. I have sent you an email and will be happy to hear from you.

I am very keen to get rid of this problem and claim my life back.

[ppsd]

I think it is interesting that you say it started in the late teens. I have the exact same problems with my breath and, after having tried EVERYTHING, started wonder if it could be caused by some hormonal changes as well as some of you seems to have wondered. I can tell that for about four years ago, my mouth-environment changed radically. I know that I didn't have a thick white coating on my tongue, sour/bitter feel of the salivia, and constantly bad breath. My mother have confirmed that I have bad breath, and I have absolutely NOT bad hygien at all. I brush, floss, srape the tongue throughoutly. I am not using mouthwash with alcohol - instead I use H2O2 (Hydrogen peroxide) mixed with water which helps a bit. So my question to you all is: Have you, during your childhood/teens, used any asthma-medications like i did? I was a bedwetter as a child. I was, among many other children, a subject of an experiment for a new medication at that time (Minirin). I have recently searched for information about Minirin and have found out it contains hormons which can have made an impact on me. So I would be glad to hear from you with the same problems if you have been taking some sort of medications in the past or not. I would really like to unravel these strange problems.

Thanks!

[c_niekerk]

hi ppsd,
Thanks for contributing.
Just to provide some comments to the issues raised.
I have never used any medication for asthma as i have never been diagnosed with it or any other respiratory disease. Issues i have had in the past have always seem to be related to the digestive system.
Also I have never heard of the drug called Minirin and i doubt if i had ever been exposed to it.

As my general practitioner is no longer able to help me(she say i am physically fit as far as she is concerned), i am currently  consulting an alternative (complimentary) medicine clinic. Its a long shot but its better that doing nothing.
I am also watching a few message forums on the issues on the curezone website.
There is quite a number of people on there with similar symptons.
Regards

[Treys]

Hi,
when I went to see the "experts" in London they said these problem often starts in late teens, due to hormonal changes, as you suspected. Guess the saliva changes character or sth like that. She (the dental hygienist) said it's just bad luck, part of your genetic make-up etc, so I wouldn't blame the medication, it just happens to kick off during/after puberty. I'm also on 3% H202 + water. Should be taken after scraping, to reach the bacteria. Still, it's certainly no easy battle : -/

[ppsd]

Janne: That was no good reading... =/ I also want to think it is genetical, because my mother also have this chronic white coating on the tongue and the sour breath of vinegar. But not my dad and brother. I don't know if I have exactly like my mom, but my saliva also smells sour, without having low pH, when licking on my hand. First my doctors thought I maybe had like candida or anything like that, but it turned out not to be the case. If it is like you say, a hormonal change, do you think it is possible to correct the problem with some hormons or is there nothing to do about it at all? What did the experts say? Was it just 'bad luck, no return'?

I also want to ask if any of you recognize yourself in any of the things I experience:

Our family has an electrical toothbrush and different brushes for it. There is a holder for the brushes as well. On my and my mom's holder, it gets stains from what I suspect is dried mucus if you know what I mean. The colour is dark yellow to brown and I think it's disgusting. We often change brushes and clean brushes and the holder and everything but the stains always returns more or less. But not on my dad's and brother's holders of course. I also get like...not froth, but some sort of phlegm in the corners of my mouth at times, but that's not much of a problem. I just think it is a little strange.
Please tell me if you have similar things going on, I really want to know if these things are connected with the form of bad breath that I have. I would like to call the symptoms of my mouth 'aggresive tongue coating' because the coating grows so quick from when I have scraped the tongue and my saliva feels thick and strange all the time.

/ppsd

[Treys]

Hi there ppsd... hmm, yes I have noticed stains on my brush handle after using it for a while, but never thought much of it, i e I thought it was kinda normal, but I guess it might have sth to do with the problem if dad+bro don't have it... anyway, no big deal in itself...
The tongue is most def the cause of your problem, so I guess you're doing the right thing (brushing, scraping, adding oxygen to kill the bacteria, drinking lots of water, avoiding protein-rich food etc etc) --- but I know, it's SO hard keeping things in check. Regarding genetics, the hygienist just mean that it was bad luck basically, i e for no reasons I had any control over. I've never heard that it'd be possible to reverse it all by hormons, sounds a bit far-fetched, though it's a nice thought :-]
I'm hoping they'll think of something to alter the oral environment once and for all, i e alter the pH permanently or something, but hey, have no idea how that could be done :-/

and... I've found a place on www with LOADS of info, (though there's also lots of rubbish on there with dubious cures). It's good to see people are trying to find some answers, anyway.
http://www.curezone.com/forums/f.asp?f=326&p=1

in particular this guy 'thanatos' seems very clued up and straight-talking:
http://curezone.com/forums/fd.asp?f=326&p=11&c=1 &m=thanatos

So how did the doctor test you for candida? I have no idea what that is... could you let me know? When I lick my wrist I can get the most diverse aromas, not always the same at all...