Prevalence of halitosis in patients with dental prostheses in Senegal

Bad breath is a disease affecting 25% of the world's population. Despite the widespread nature of this problem, people's knowledge about this condition is poor. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of halitosis in a cohort of 62 Senegalese subjects with dental prostheses. Breath analysis was based on measurement of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) using a halimeter. Halitosis was diagnosed ifVSC level was > or = 125 ppb. Mean VSC level was 157.7 +/- 152.6 ppb. The prevalence of halitosis was of 35.4% overall, 72.7% in persons with fixed dentures and of 27.3% in persons with removable prostheses. The relatively high prevalence of halitosis observed in this study indicates a need to enhance patient awareness of daily hygiene measures for dental prosthesis.