Rarely we dream of scents that are not from the physical space where we are sleeping. Otherwise, the smells in dreams have a highly sensuous connotation.
It is possible that the unconscious has launched a compensation mechanism in response to lack of satisfactory sexual intercourse. Although sharp and unpleasant odors are very rare, if you perceived one, it means that you are reacting to the attitudes of others.
Each scent has a specific meaning. Mothballs allude to scandal; ginger, to love affairs; jasmine, to true spiritual experience; lavender, happiness in relationships; and nutmeg, deception. In general, a bad smell means disease; and a good one, health. Perfume denotes beauty and pride. To notice a good smell emanated by someone promises new friends; but if someone detects your odor, it is indicative of lost friendships.
[1]There are dreams in which the sense of smell is activated. Smell is the most primitive of all of the senses, and there are powerful sense memories that are evoked when certain smells are present. This type of deep memory- response may be what is triggering a dream in which smell plays a role.
If there is something specific that is being smelled in the dream, use that to inform your interpretation.
[2]On the dream plane, smells frequently engender memories of past experiences and our reactions to those experiences. Like other senses, the way we feel about each aroma is very personal, and should be interpreted accordingly.
[3]