Tongue cleaning improves taste sensation and seems to reduce the substrata for putrefaction, rather than the bacterial load.

The results of this study indicate that in patients with moderate periodontitis, initial periodontal therapy including tongue scraping did not have a significant effect on the microbial load of the tongue and had only a weak impact on the VSC level, except when combined with a mouthrinse. Saliva incubation can be used as an indirect way to score breath odor. It offers simplicity, objectivity, and is less invasive.

The results of this study demonstrated the potential of a new CHX 0.05%+CPC 0.05% non-alcoholic formulation as an effective antiplaque agent for long-term use with reduced subjective side effects.

The results of this study demonstrate that morning breath odour can be successfully reduced by the sole twice daily use of CHX-Alc, CHX-CPC-Zn or AmF/SnF2Mr mouthrinses, which all significantly reduced the bacterial load in the saliva and retarded the de novo plaque formation.

The strong correlation between odor production of incubated saliva and clinical assessments suggests that the saliva incubation test may be used as an indirect method to measure oral malodor and can be employed to investigate the antimalodor effectiveness of oral hygiene products.

Background  Breath odor is scored by different techniques, each with its own shortcomings. Organoleptic ratings are uncomfortable for the patient, subjective, influenced by external parameters including food and cosmetics, and lack of international calibration. An intra‐oral VSC rating (Halimeter) or gas chromatography can overcome the embarrassing situation for the patient, but not every clinician has this equipment. This project evaluated the reliability of saliva incubation as an indirect, in vitro, test for bad breath. Methods  In a double‐blind, randomized, long‐term, parallel study 45 moderate periodontitis patients that received a ‘one‐stage, full‐mouth’ disinfection, oral hygiene instruction (including tongue scraping) and antiseptics. The intra‐oral VSC ratings (at baseline, and at 3 and 6 months) were compared to in vitro VSC recordings of the headspace air from saliva (0.5 ml, 37°C, 1 and 2 h, anaerobic chamber). The latter recordings were further correlated to the number of CFU in the saliva. At the same time the headspace also received an organoleptic rating. Results  Even though the VSC values remained within a narrow range (90% observation 10–200), a strong correlation was found between the intra‐oral VSC ratings and the 1 h (r = 0.48, P < 0.0001) and 2 h (r = 0.43, P < 0.0001) VSC production of saliva. The VSC values of incubated saliva correlated strongly (r = 0.71) with the CFU for anaerobic species in the saliva. The VSC values and organoleptic ratings of the incubated saliva also correlated strongly (r = 0.64 after 1 h and 0.73 after 2 h incubation). Conclusions  Saliva incubation can be used as an indirect way to score bad breath. Due to its simplicity it can be useful in longitudinal studies as alternative for direct organoleptic recordings.

Background  Bad breath is often caused by periodontitis and/or tongue coating. This study aimed to follow, over a 6 months period, the impact of periodontal therapy on several parameters linked with oral malodour. Methods  In this double‐blind, randomized, long‐term, parallel study 45 moderate periodontitis patients without obvious tongue coating were enrolled. Besides a ‘one‐stage, full‐mouth’ disinfection and oral hygiene improvement (including tongue scraping), patients were instructed to rinse with one of the following products (randomly allocated): CHX 0.2% + alcohol (Corsodyl®), CHX 0.05% + CPC 0.05% and no alcohol (Perio.Aid®Maintenance, a new formulation), or the placebo of the latter for 6 months. At baseline and after 3 and 6 months, a serious of parameters was recorded including VSC rating (Halimeter), tongue coating and an estimation of the microbial load (anterior & posterior part tongue, saliva, supragingival plaque). Results  Even though the initial VSC values were not high (±90, only 18 patients >100), significant (P < 0.05) reductions could be recorded in the CHX and CHX+CPC group, but only to a minor extent in the placebo group. Tongue scraping resulted in a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.05) of the coating up to month 6 in the placebo and CHX+CPC group, but not in the CHX group. The microbial changes in the placebo group were never significant (≤0.3 log values), even though the tongue had been scraped daily. The CHX and CHX‐CPC group showed, in comparison to baseline, significant (P < 0.001) reductions in the number of anaerobic species in the supra gingival plaque, in the saliva and on the anterior part of the tongue. For the posterior part of the tongue the microbial changes remained ≤0.3 log values. Conclusions  The results of this study indicate that, in patients with moderate periodontitis, periodontal therapy including tongue scraping did not have a significant effect on the microbial load of the tongue or the VSC level, except when combined with a mouthrinse.