Halitosis: prevalence and association with oral etiological factors in children and adolescents

Abstract

Halitosis is a condition that can have negative social impacts. Although common, its prevalence and associated etiological factors have been studied little in the child/adolescent population. The aim of the present study was to associate the occurrence of halitosis with oral etiological factors in children aged 6–12 years. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 150 male and female children and adolescents. The organoleptic test (OT) was used to determine halitosis. All patients and caregivers answered a questionnaire addressing personal data, general health and oral health, including hygiene habits, and received clarifications regarding the procedures to which the children/adolescents would be submitted in a second session. During the second session, the children were clinically evaluated for halitosis using the OT. The bacterial plaque index, coated tongue index, pH, salivary flow and the presence of dental caries were also determined. Differences in the proportions of the factors were compared between groups (with and without halitosis) using the chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables. Halitosis was diagnosed in 17.3% of the children and was associated with a fair score on the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OR: 3.5; p = 0.008), the non-daily use of tooth floss (OR: 8.7; p = 0.017), percentage of coated tongue (p = 0.005), abnormal salivary flow (OR: 4.2; p < 0.001) and dental caries (OR: 3.8; p = 0.002). No associations with brushing performed by a caregiver or salivary pH were found.

Self‐reported halitosis in a sample of Brazilians: Prevalence, associated risk predictors and accuracy estimates with clinical diagnosis

“…Halitosis has a worldwide occurrence, and its prevalence has been evaluated in different population groups, varying from around 5% to 65% (Cortelli, Barbosa, & Westphal, ; Du, Li, Jiang, Zheng, & Zhang, ; Guedes et al, ; Rösing & Loesche, ). Overall, the occurrence of this condition was determined to be significant and high (Silva et al, ).…”

Relationship between Insufficient Sleep and Bad Breath in Korean Adolescent Population

“…An unpleasant odor may occur because of food residue between the teeth and putrefaction of the retained exfoliated oral epithelial cells, and this may increase the plaque accumulation on the teeth and tongue, resulting in more severe bad breath [ 10 , 11 ]. In a study of children and adolescents aged 12–16 years by Guedes et al (2019), subjects with dental caries had a 3.8-fold higher risk of bad breath than those without, and decreased salivary flow increased the risk of bad breath 4.2-fold times [ 12 ].…”

“…The KYRBS (2017) reported that over 20% of adolescents answered that they had an unpleasant smell in their mouth, suggesting that the prevalence of bad breath in Korean adolescents is extremely high [ 19 ]. Bad breath can have a negative psychological and social effect on adolescents and can be a sign of other diseases [ 11 , 12 ]. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the cause of bad breath in adolescents and make appropriate interventions.…”

“…Existing studies related to bad breath (halitosis) mainly focus on adults, and various causes have been identified [ 12 , 20 ]; however, studies on the relationship between insufficient sleep and bad breath are rare. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between insufficient sleep and bad breath in adolescents based on national data representing a sample of Korean adolescents, with a view to recognizing bad breath as a disease and encouraging the promotion of oral health in adolescents through early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.…”

Perceived oral care needs of terminally ill adults – a qualitative investigation

“…These are primarily involved in halitosis produced by Gram-negative anaerobic oral bacteria (260). Frequently, halitosis can occur due to compromised oral health and oral hygiene, oral infections, xerostomia, tongue coating, dental caries, and periodontitis (261,262). The other individuals who experience halitosis include those with ear, nose, and throat infections (263) and higher levels of urea nitrogen in their blood, especially when it reaches >55 mg/dL (264).…”