Bad Breath in the Media

Bad Breath in the Media
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If you're into staying with the latest gossip in entertainment, it can be tough to keep up. While bad breath isn't sexy, it is often noteworthy. Here are some stories in which bad breath has made its way into the media spotlight.

Halitosis may not be a laughing matter. Often when cracks are made about bad breath, the person at the center of the joke can be hurt, whether it is intentional or not. Regardless, no one likes being told they have bad breath. According to one article, offensive breath cracks have even made their way onto the ice. A recent incident was on the British television show Dancing on Ice between judge Jason Gardiner and Tim Healy, an audience member and husband to Denise Welch (a show contestant and soap opera star). Unreality TV reports that judge Gardiner gave Welch some criticism in regards to her performance on the show. Healy confronted the judge and screamed Gardiner's face that his wife [Welch] is 52-years-old and has four jobs. He then asked Gardiner how many jobs he had. Rather than take the high road, this saucy judge shot back with "Oh my God, your breath!" The aftermath consisted of Gardiner posting tweets along the same lines -- unfortunately they are unprintable, but you get the idea. Perhaps the next time you are planning to start a conflict, check your breath first to make sure it won't be the butt of jokes and insults afterwards.

Staying with stories of the small screen, a clip posted by CBS shows that TV personality (and famous reality wife) Sharon Osborne does not beat around the bush when it comes to bad breath. One article talks about the five hosts on the CBS morning show The Talk and their discussion of whether or not they could tell someone they have halitosis. After all, it is a personal and touchy subject. Four of the five hosts: Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, Leah Remini and Julie Chen said they could not have the uncomfortable "hey, your breath really smells" conversation with another person. Only Sharon Osborne admitted to having told a co-worker that he had bad breath. After some pressure, Osborne admitted that this conversation had been with fellow judge of America's Got Talent David Hasselhoff. The Ohio State University Medical Center lists some sources of bad breath to be: aromatic foods, dry mouth, gum disease, use of alcohol and tobacco and dirty teeth. If you're having difficulty telling someone in your life that they have bad breath, from the poll on The Talk, you aren't alone.

While we're on the touchy subject of how to discuss bad breath, yet another article addresses this uncomfortable topic. The Charlotte Observer's advice column Ask Amy told a wife how to tell her husband that he has halitosis. The reader (pen name "Nauseated") wrote that her partner has poor dental hygiene, brushing once a day at most. As to be expected, his breath was really bad. Ask Amy suggested that "Nauseated" directly reminds her husband that brushing twice a day can limit the extent of halitosis -- sounds simples enough. However, if her husband has a severe case of chronic bad breath, brushing twice a day may not be enough and could be an indication of a more serious condition. Perhaps Amy should have suggested having the husband brush, floss and rinse with mouthwash thoroughly and if results didn't improve to go pay a visit to the doctor. In any case, hopefully "Nauseated" is no longer going by that name.

Are you one of the bazillion people that has Bieber Fever? Then here's an article for you! OK! Magazine reports that Justin Bieber was spotted buying nachos and a Slush Puppy at the premier of the film that documents his life. He sported a velvet bowtie and matching vest for the occasion. Let's hope they weren't covered in cheese stains after the viewing. The news source suggested that the teen sensation was asking for a bit of bad breath by eating this movie theatre meal. Independently, either food choice could lead to halitosis. Nacho cheese, especially the kind from concession stands if often runny, thick and full of grease and fat. This gooey queso can stick to the teeth, palate and tongue for hours, making a prime breeding ground to bad breath bacteria to thrive. To top it off, if Bieber added onions, peppers or jalapenos to his nachos, those can all leave sulfur-producing compounds on the surface of the oral cavity. The slushy can give bad breath in a different way. It may take time, but the sugars from the sweet drink can give bacteria a great meal to dine on, resulting in more production of odor compounds. Let's hope Bieber brushed and flossed shortly after consuming his meal or he might have walked around with a case of halitosis for the rest of the night -- not exactly a dreamy picture.

It should come as a comfort that bad breath doesn't just affect us "normal" people, but also makes itself known in the press. Whether you have an agent or not, it's best to be mindful of your oral hygiene; that way, those around you don't have to have an uncomfortable conversation with you about your breath.

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