To tell a colleague that their breath smells so bad I feel sick?

[dirtywindows]

Just that really. Working very closely so sitting near and talking together. I offered him water but he refused. Has a break mid morning and I offered him tea which he also refused. At lunch he didn't eat anything declaring he only ever eats one meal in the evenings. I honestly could barely concentrate and kept trying to think of how I could tactfully say - for gods sake eat something or brush your teeth because you stink and I'm going to be sick! Managed to get through the day. I don't often work with him but next time WIBU to say something? And if not then how would you say it? Or should I just carry mints to give him?

I wouldn't say anything, leave it to HR, that way he won't feel awkward working with you. It's their job to handle things like this.

Tonsil stones or gum disease. The latter even if mild can make your breath smell. If your gums bleed your breath will smell

I've had this problem for ages due to an infection in my tooth. I keep my distance from people and eat as many mints as possible but unfortunately it can't be helped atm. I'd be mortified if I knew someone had posted something like this about me.

I've had to tell a few colleagues their breath smells and to have some chewing gum or mints. Yes it's not nice and it can be awkward but it has to be done as I am not putting up with someone breathing in my face. The way I see it is that I would much rather have someone tell me than walk around unaware. I have actually had someone say it to me once and they offered me a chewing gum and I took it and was grateful they had told me. Just to do it quietly and not make a big song and dance about it. Leaving mints, or making snappy and passive aggressive comments, or leaving articles on his desk where everyone can see them is very tactless and quite cruel.

It's a tricky one as he'd probably be beyond mortified if you spoke to him about it, but equally why should you have to have your working day ruined by breathing in a horrible smell all day.
Do you have one to ones with a manager where you could ask them to speak to him about it?

HR may very well do nothing. To save themselves embarrassment and potential accusations of victimisation they may say something like 'We don't find a problem' and wash their hands of it. I have never know of anyone in HR be willing to deal with an employee's halitosis or bad body odour.

Unless someone else knows different......?

I have never know of anyone in HR be willing to deal with an employee's halitosis or bad body odour.
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Unless someone else knows different......?*

I'm not in HR, but in conjunction with HR I have once used formal procedures to address an employee's body odour. I can't go into details as it's very outing but there was a specific reason why the odour had to be dealt with.

I think as plan A I would just have a pot of mints/chewing gum on my desk and keep offering it - perhaps in conjunction with Vicks in my nostrils as a pp suggested. If that didn't work I'd have to ask whoever you report to if they would have a word. I don't think there's any sensitive way to tell someone directly that you are struggling with their breath odour.

I don't think there's any sensitive way to tell someone directly that you are struggling with their breath odour.

Of course there is a sensitive way. The recipient might not necessarily want to hear what is being said, and it won't be a pleasant experience for either party, but there are gentle and sensitive ways of saying this.

Can you speak to the court manager and ask them to address the issue?

Come on! Just tell him! Wouldn't you want to know if it was you?

I'd want to know if it was me.

Say something like 'I'm wondering if you should go and see a dentist as my breath smelt like yours when I had an infection'.

Ok I'll rephrase that to 'I don't think there is a sensitive enough phrasing to avoid causing massive offence and ill feeling.'
Like pps have said there must be someone you report to who could have a word. Not an easy conversation for them either but at least they can say the complaint has come from someone else.

I can have "bad breath" and it stems from a severe medical problem. I cannot but help feel that if it was that bad someone else would have mentioned it to him before now. If it is really that bad rub a little scented balm on your top lip just under your nose. We do that when we are dealing with particularly pungent research samples).

^ Vicks safety note:
Just to clarify what it may have appeared I recommended in earlier post: a dab just below each nostril, not inside, which isn't wise.
(Nellie is more sensible!).

You need to report to his line manager and insist he or she deals with it. It's their job to say something. This is a standard conversation in all management training I've done.

What do you mean by "line manager"?

Yes what's a line manager ?
I have never come across this term .

Line manager = Manager directly responsible to mouth-gate.

My dad has diabetes, has trouble with a fewof his teeth having lost fillings and replacements keep coming out due to lack of enough tooth to bond to properly, and doesn't brush his teeth every day. Every time we go out i have a chewing gum and offer him one, but he doesn't always accept. Sometimes i have to outright tell him he needs to either have a gum or use the mouthwash he keeps in the car because his breath smells.

And it REALLY smells, like, makes you feel sick if he breathes in your direction or is talking to you and you have to face him. It baffles me how he knows he has bad breath, but doesn't brush daily or automatically have a piece of gum if he goes out and about in public.

Everyone knows morning breath stinks and stays all day if you don't brush etc, so how anyone can ever be oblivious to bad breath is beyond me. if it's gum disease your gums will surely be bleeding, or the dentist will tell you that you have it. Most health issues that aren't dental related will have other symptoms, so it really is inexcusable to claim ignorance.

I appreciate telling people is tricky, i find it so awkward with my dad both because he's my dad so i care about hurting his feelings, and i have anxiety. But they need telling, i'm sure they'd rather be told gently by someone earlier in the day, than find out later on and cringe at the thought of everyone they've spoken to all day.

I'm surprised by those suggesting HR. The HR where I work (NHS) are too busy interviewing, sorting out pay, training and development etc etc to deal with an employee's bad breath.

The way I'd deal with it is to say something along the lines of, I'd like to apologise in advance but my breath might smell, I've got a horrible taste in my mouth and I keep getting a whiff of foul breath.

This "line manager" must be a new coinage. People on here seem to use it as a universal term no matter where someone is employed. I never came across it when I was in the workplace. One might have a supervisor, a head of department or a foreman, or a boss.

Anyway these people are not even employed, they are magistrates, so there is no "line manager" or "HR".

HR is "Human Resources", isn't it. Always makes me think of Soylent Green. We had a personnel department in my day.

Crown - the term 'Line manager' has been in use for years. In all my 30 years of working (both private And public sector, 'line manager' has interchangeably with boss, direct manager etc. I'm surprised at posters who have never come across it.

Nevertheless, why would the magistrates in question have a line manager?