Bad Body Odor

Q: I need your help very badly.  Since 1999, I have developed a very bad body odor and it is so serious that I lost a good job because of it.  It has even affected my dating.  I was pregnant and I lost the baby but I refused to have a D & C; could that have caused the smell?  Also, another cause could be after that I started eating and cooking with a lot of garlic. I thought garlic is good for the heart and that is why I ate it.  Any suggestions?

Most of these odors are easily avoided by practicing good hygiene: bathing daily, using shampoo and soap; brushing your teeth twice per day, flossing and using mouthwash; and laundering clothes regularly.  Certain foods such as garlic, however, as well as onions, coffee, tobacco and alcohol, can produce odors that linger despite brushing and even seep through your skin!  Many people find it difficult to be near heavy garlic eaters.  An easy solution is to stop eating garlic for a week and see if the problem  improves (ask an honest friend!).  There is a fair bit of research suggesting that garlic does have health benefits.  If its side effects are causing you such major social disruption, however, it is clearly not worth it.  Some supporters recommend Kyolic garlic, which is an odorless capsule. For more information, read the book "Garlic for Health" (Lotus Light Publications, Wilmot, Wisconsin).

Chronically bad mouth or other body odors may also be due to gum diseases or other infections.  I do not think this is related to your miscarriage and not having had a D & C.  Retained products of conception from a miscarriage would cause a horrible infection and odor; but you would probably have terrible fever and pain as well.  If your body odor is coming from the vaginal area, many other infections could also be responsible. If this is the case, please see your gynecologist as soon as possible. 

Created: 11/23/2002  -  Donnica Moore, M.D.