Dear Queenie,
My husband doesn’t brush his teeth every day and he hasn’t gone to a dentist once in all the years we’ve been married. His breath is always foul and it sure doesn’t put me in a mood to get close to him.
Also, he hasn’t had a raise or promotion at work for as long as I have known him and I’m willing to bet it’s because his boss and his co-workers can’t stand his breath either and maybe even the customers have complained.
I’ve tried to talk to him about this, not about work, but about how his bad breath makes me feel, and he nods and says he understands and then he doesn’t do anything different.
Queenie, what more can I do?—Holding my nose
Dear Holding my nose,
Try eating garlic or limburger cheese every night and see how he likes it.
Tell him if he doesn’t brush his teeth before he comes to bed, he can darn well sleep in the other room.
Buy nose plugs (they make them for swimmers) or a well-fitted clothespin and wear them/it to bed every night.
Seriously, there is more to your problem than your husband’s bad breath. There is also his lack of respect for your feelings. Insist on marriage counselling to find out why your husband doesn’t care if he offends you – or even does it deliberately.
If he won’t go with you, go alone, if only to find out why you put up with his boorishness and learn how to deal with it, and him.
