I have a friend who is a very nice person, But they will not clean there teeth?

Question

I am not being funny or clever but her breath smells like s+it. How can I tell her to brush her teeth without offending her. Toothpaste/toothbrushes are not exactly expensive. Thanks for the advice.

Answer 1

I know this is a delicate subject because you don't want to hurt her feelings.But the fact that you are a friend is the reason you have to tell her because other people will not be as kind to her.Be as gentle as possible.You could start out by asking"do you ever feel like a dog crapped in your mouth?mine sure does."There is this new mouthwash and toothpaste i am going to try.Wanna try it too?Hopefully she will go for it.By the way,do all this in private.GOOD LUCK.

Answer 2

This is difficult!! My family had the same problem with my sister. Although she brushes her teeth she had bad breath. Anyway the family were squabbling over who should tell her. When my mum finally told her she was more upset when she found out that we were all discussing who should tell her; she would have rather someone just come out and tell her straight. So my advice is tell her straight, don't try and be coy about it by offering mints, etc. She will be upset if she finds out you felt you didn't have the guts to tell straight out. So just take her to the side one day and say look I don't really know how to tell you this and I am not sure if you are aware of the problem, but as a friend I feel I should let you know. In recent weeks I have noticed that your breath smells a little less than disirable. And then take it from there. If she gets angry just remind her that if you can smell her breath then it is most likely others can too, and as a friend you are only telling her to save her from embarrassment. Also remind her, like others have suggested, that it doesn't neccessarily mean she doesn't look after her teeth, but that there could be other resons for her bad breath, and suggest she sees a dentist first. If they rule out any oral health problems then go to a doctor. Also remind her that most people at some point in their life suffer a bout of bad breath and that it is nothing to be ashamed of.

Answer 3

It is always difficult to tell people such things (and remain friends with them).

However, the reason behing her smelly breath might not be the lack of dental hygiene. There is a number of possible reasons - ranging from bad diet to problems with stomach, or even dieting.

It is likely she doesn't even notice her smelly breath. I wouldn't blurt it out straight to her face, that will only embarass her. Maybe you can offer her mints on a regulary basis (i.e., you take a mint in her presence and then offer her one, too. If she refuses to take one, try to persuade her by saying it doesn't have many calories blah blah).

Also, you can get some leaflets about smelly breath and leave them lying around the place. I believe your GP should have some.

Or maybe you can ask her advice regarding "a friend" with foul breath...


Good luck!

Answer 4

Well, that is a challenge. I have a friend of 38 years that I would mention her breath to her for years. She always said she used mouthwash. But it was never better. I always recommended Hydrogen peroxide and I could tell she never used it.

Hydrogen Peroxide heals the gums and sores to make the mouth healthy.

Well, the upshot of my friend and the mouth odour was she had an infected tooth and had to have a root canal and then have it pulled.

For your friend you could put together an anonymous "Dental Gift Basket".

New Toothbrushes
Antibacterial Mouthwash
Hydrogen Peroxide
Flat dental tape for flossing.
Non Fluoride Toothpaste (Fluoride effects your Thyroid)
A Booklet on Proper dental care Dental care. (Check your dental for this.)

I really can't think of another way, if you have spoken to her and no results.

Good Luck, Been there and tried to do that.

Answer 5

Give her a nice birthday present saying this is in appreciation for her being such a nice person and good friend of yours. The present must be a toothbrush, tube of toothpaste and dental floss. Hopefully she will get the message and start using it.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

First up, are you positive your friend's bad breath stems from lack of good [or "any"] oral hygiene? Bad breath doesn't always result from dental problems.
Bad breath can be the result of stomach ulcers, diabetes, gall bladder problems, and sadly, cancer.

If she's not complaining [openly] about toothaches or tooth pain, she might have a problem only her primary care can diagnose.
Your friend may have a bigger problem than bad breath!

Answer 8

It might not be that she doesn't clean her teeth. Many other things cause bad breath. If you know her well, you could enquire as to her general well being.

Answer 9

Is she dieting? Lack of food and fluid is a sure way to get bad breath.

Answer 10

Tough. Nothing you can do. They probably find something about you offensive as well. This is what you have to do to live with people. Accept them as they are, the good and the bad. You cannot force someone to fit a false image you have in your mind that YOU believe is correct - that is an act of extreme violence.