Body Odor

What can be done to prevent the condition?

Prevention is related to the cause. For instance, avoiding drugs or toxins can prevent cases from this cause. Taking medicines as prescribed and monitoring blood glucose levels at home can prevent many cases due to uncontrolled diabetes. Regular dentist visits and regular teeth brushing with approved toothpaste can prevent many cases due to tooth diseases.

What are the long-term effects of the condition?

Body odor may sometimes cause problems in the affected person's relationships. A person may feel shame, embarrassment, anger, frustration, or depression as a result of his or her body odor. Other long-term effects are related to the cause of the body odor. For instance, some of the aminoaciduria conditions can cause mental retardation, seizures, or even death. Cases due to an infection usually go away after treatment and often cause no long-term effects.

What are the risks to others?

Body odor is not catching. If the body odor is due to an infection, the infection may be contagious, such as a sexually transmitted disease. Inherited conditions may be passed on to children through the genes.