Employee forced by boss to work alongside coworker with bad breath for six hours straight: 'I have never been so happy to clock out in my life'

There is no polite way to navigate telling your coworker that they have bad breath.

Obviously, this is a delicate situation, and you might as well do nothing if you're a conflict avoidant personality. At the end of the day, it really depends on how poor the hygiene is. After all, you never know how this person might react to being called out even in the most sensitively handled manner. You also don't know if the reason behind said bad breath goes beyond poor hygiene. Then, the person who is out of line is not the person who can't keep his breath clean; it's the person who pointed out someone else's condition in a work environment.

This employee had the unfortunate experience of being paired out with his smelly coworker on a collaborative project that required them to share a desk and a laptop with limited personal space… for six hours straight. Imagine being less than six feet away from your least hygienic coworker for practically the entire work day. 

Keep scrolling below to find out how the employee endured it and what happened when he tried to send a signal…

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  • Let's just say from the get-go that the attempts to send a subtle message to the coworker did not exactly work. The employee expressed that he tried suggesting multiple food items for this guy to consume to try and offset his naturally terrible breath. The coworker declined every single suggestion, which kind of makes one think if he's actually aware of the issue and is attempting to troll the employee. What do you all think?

  • "My new coworker's breath smells like something d*ed inside his mouth"

    There's a new guy at work. He's been there for about two weeks, but we've barely crossed paths because our shifts never line up. Today, unfortunately, fate decided to correct that mistake.
    via subuso
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  • Our boss paired us up and asked me to show him the ropes. I asked him to repeat his name, and he did, but I barely registered it, because at that exact moment his breath hit me like a biological weapon. Whatever he said was instantly erased from my brain by the stench pouring out of his mouth.
    via subuso
  • We then spent six full hours working side by side. Six Hours!!! Even when he wasn't talking, the smell lingered, like it had filed a formal complaint and decided to stay. At one point, out of pure desperation, I asked if he wanted some tea, coffee, water, fucking anything!!! We even have fresh fruits and vegetables. Salvation was within reach.
    via subuso
  • He declined, saying he was good. Needless to say, I have never been so happy to clock out in my life. Hopefully it was just a one time thing
    via subuso
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  • Two men sharing a laptop while working at a table in an office.
    via SEO Galaxy

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Due-Sheepherder-218 • Always keep a pack of gum on deck.
    via subuso
  • BC_Arctic_Fox • .."the smell lingered, like it had filed a formal complaint.." Holy hell that's a great line!! I lol over that! Thanks
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  • Whatchamacallit72 He could have tonsil stones
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  • Gnarly_Starwin • I once worked with a girl who never brushed her teeth. She had a visible layer of tartar along her bottom teeth. One time she was talking to me and a little bit of spit flew out of her mouth and into my eye. I was legitimately concerned I was about to get some kind of gnarly infection.
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  • Retiredgiverofb I had a mini fan at my desk and would turn it on so the air would blow toward my coworker when he would come to my desk which was WAY TOO OFTEN
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  • BrotherNatureNOLA . I worked with a woman who would pop a mint and just hand them to people. When people would try to refuse them, she would say, "I didn't say that you wanted it. I said that you needed it." I've always wished that I could be that direct and forward with people.
    via subuso
  • maxbear3145. Get some essential oils and put a few drops of peppermint under your nose when hes around. It might help you.
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  • Magnet2025 . Had a manager like that. People used to recoil - literally take a step back when he would talk.
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  • After many little hints like that failed to register with him, I decided to go to the drug store at lunch and buy him a travel size tooth brush, toothpaste and some floss. Laid them on his desk while he was out.
    via subuso
  • He apparently got very angry (I was meeting with a client) and stormed into our bosses office and said he knew it was me!
    via subuso
  • And our boss said "He did it for a reason. Maybe schedule an appointment to get your teeth cleaned."
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  • Neither_trousers • I've met a few people like that. One had diabetes and it seemed to show up when it flared up, the other had food intolerances they weren't addressing and it happened when they were hungry or ate food that didnt agree with them,
    via subuso
  • the other I dont know well enough to be sure, but I notice they smoke and lot, drink a lot of energy drinks and eat a lot of fast food. You could have gum on your table and offer them one, but it's probably a digestive thing.
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management terrible coworkers humor bad breath uncomfortable funny work stories office drama toxic-work-environment
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