Bad Breath Is All In His Head

Q. My husband believes that he has halitosis. However, after living with him for 18 years, I can assure you that he does not.
Because of this belief, he has begun buying a special mouthwash product containing chlorine. He gets a bottle in the mail every month. This product is expensive, costing him around a dollar a day. I’ve told him he is wasting his money, but he doesn’t listen to me. Can you please tell me whether this expensive stuff is any better than standard mouthwash?
A. Doctors have a name for your husband’s condition: “psychogenic halitosis.” They report that people who mistakenly believe they have bad breath may often have anxiety or suffer from obsessive compulsive disorders. Attentive listening and reassurance from a trusted health care professional is considered the best approach.
We don’t think that gargling with chlorine mouthwash is a great idea. If your husband insists on something, he might want to chew on chlorophyll gum. Others report that pills containing parsley, chlorophyll or peppermint can be beneficial. But truthfully he doesn’t need anything.