Famous smokers and bad breath

While heavy smoking and bad breath by themselves may not make a person famous, many famous people have gone down in history for their heavy smoking. From Castro to Cosby to Clinton to Capone, smoking cigars or cigarettes has often been an individual's trademark.

To give a recent example, Jack Nicholson gave an interview with UK Daily Mail in which the journalist sets the scene by describing the actor having his twelfth cigarette of the day. Nicholson appears in several photos, puffing on a cigar. He reported formerly feeling "oddly irresistible" to women, adding that the feeling is now gone.

Smoking is a common cause of bad breath, which can repel even one's closest friends and relatives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that any tobacco use can cause halitosis and stain teeth.

Other famous cigar, pipe and cigarette smokers include these noteworthy men and women.

Winston Churchill - Perhaps the archetypal cigar smoker, the prime minister of England during World War II was practically never without a stogie. According to Cigar Aficionado, Churchill smoked eight to 10 cigars every day, often dunking them in brandy first. He reportedly asked that a special oxygen mask be designed so that he could smoke during high-altitude flight. His request was granted.

George Burns - If anyone gives Churchill a run for his money, it's actor and comedian George Burns, who smoked 10 or more cigars every day until his death at age 100. Burns famously quipped that "happiness is a good martini, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman." Alcohol may also cause bad breath by ridding the mouth of saliva, which normally keeps bacteria at bay.

Richard Burton - According to a biography by Michael Munn, the actor and two-time husband of Elizabeth Taylor smoked up to five packs of cigarettes per day. The hot gases from cigarette smoke can easily dry out the mouth and cause bad breath, while the smell of cigarette smoke can linger for hours.

C.S. Lewis - The author of The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis reportedly smoked cigarettes whenever his signature pipe was not in use. Pipe smoking, like other tobacco use, can leave pungent compounds on the tongue and teeth, many of which a vigorous tooth brushing may not remove. Ironically, Lewis's Christ-like lion, Aslan, has breath with a "delicious smell."

Marlene Dietrich - A prolific singer and the highest paid actress of her day, Dietrich was rarely without a cigarette. Joe DiMaggio, one of her many suitors, couldn't help reporting that she had bad breath. Unfortunately, Dietrich did not live to see a time when specialty breath freshening products were widely available. Today, it is easy to purchase specialty rinses and tablets that neutralize the odors of halitosis.