Oral Malodor and Halitosis: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Oral Malodor

Write short note on halitosis.
Or
Write short note on oral malodor.
Answer. Halitosis is the term used to describe noticeably unpleasant odor exhaled in breathing.

Classification of Halitosis

• Genuine Halitosis
  • Physiologic halitosis
    • Oral.
    • Extraoral.
• Pseudo-Halitosis
  • Halitophobia.

“Understanding the causes of bad breath in oral health”

Oral Malodor Etiology

Volatile sulphur compounds are the main cause of breadth malodor. These consist of hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphide. Various other compounds which are implicated in etiology are putrescine, indole, skatole, butyric acid and propionic acid.

Unpleasant breadth is due to intraoral or extraoral causes which are as follows:

Read And Learn More: Periodontics Question And Answers

“Importance of studying halitosis for dental professionals”

Causes for Physiologic Halitosis

• Mouth breathing
• Medications
• Aging and poor dental hygiene
• Fasting/Starvation
• Tobacco
• Foods and alcohol.

“Common challenges in diagnosing and treating halitosis”

Causes for Pathologic Halitosis

• Periodontal infection: Odor from subgingival dental biofilm. Specific diseases such as ANUG and pericoronitis.
• Tongue-coating harbors microorganisms.
• Stomatitis, xerostomia.
• Faulty restorations retaining food and bacteria.
• Unclean dentures.
• Oral pathologic lesions such as oral cancer, candidiasis.
• Parotitis, clef palate.
• Aphthous ulcer, dental abscess.

“Steps to identify common causes of oral malodor and halitosis”

“Role of bacteria in causing bad breath in the mouth”

Extraoral Causes

• Nasal infections: Rhinitis, sinusitis, post nasal drip, tumors and foreign bodies. Crypts of tonsils also lead to accumulation of microorganisms and putrefaction which produces malodor.
• Diseases of gastrointestinal tract: Zenker’s diverticulum, hiatus hernia, carcinomas, GERD and intestinal gas production.
• Pulmonary infections: Chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis and carcinomas.
• Hormonal changes: Hormonal changes occur during ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.
• Systemic diseases: Various systemic diseases which contribute to halitosis are liver and kidney insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, blood dyscrasias, rheumatologic diseases, dehydration, fever and liver cirrhosis.

“Early warning signs of untreated oral malodor issues”

Management of Halitosis

The treatment of halitosis is a step-by-step problem-solving procedure.

• The simplest way from distinguishing oral from nonoral origin is to compare smell from mouth and nose. If origin is from nose, patient is referred to concerned specialist and if origin is from mouth, patient is referred to the dentist for treatment.
• For genuine halitosis with oral causes, the treatment is as follows:
  • Reduction of anabolic load by improving oral hygiene and basic periodontal health by basic dental care, if necessary incorporate advanced oral hygiene methods including oral irrigation and sonic or ultrasonic toothbrushes.

“Asymptomatic vs symptomatic stages of halitosis progression”

• • • If halitosis persists in spite of adequate conventional oral hygiene, tongue brushing is advised.
    • Use of chlorhexidine mouth rinses causes reduction of microorganisms which leads to reduction of halitosis.
    • Conversion of volatile sulphur compounds by using various metal ions. Zinc is an ion which bond to twice negatively charged sulphur radicals to reduce expression of volatile sulphur compounds. Halita is a new solution containing 0.55% Chlorhexidine, 0.05% cetyl pyridium chloride and 0.14% zinc lactate with no alcohol is more effient than 0.2 percent. Chlorhexidine formulation in reducing volatile sulphur compounds.