Oral Malodor: Prevention and it's Treatment

Halitosis means an unpleasant odor of the expired air, regardless of the source of this odor. The foul breath originating from the oral cavity itself is termed as oral malodor and it is usually the main contributor of unpleasant breath in an otherwise healthy individual. The most predominant causes of halitosis are gingivitis, periodontitis, and tongue coating. However, several non-oral pathologic conditions have also been related to halitosis, including infection of the upper and lower respiratory tracts, the gastrointestinal tract, and some metabolic diseases involving the kidneys and the liver. Sulfur containing volatiles are the main constituent of oral malodor and that their levels correlate with the intensity as determined organoleptically. The treatment of intraoral halitosis consists of scaling/root planning and daily removal of tongue coating, and for extra oral halitosis, treatment of underlying systemic disease by a specialist. Mgmd. At least 50% of the population suffers from malodor and mostly people undergo severe problem that creates a personal discomfort and embarrassment. An important feature of Halitosis is that patients are unaware of their own bad breath.