| Title | Characteristics of 2000 patients who visited a halitosis clinic. | | Author(s) | Quirynen M, Dadamio J, Van den Velde S, De Smit M, Dekeyser C, Van Tornout M, Vandekerckhove B | | Institution | Department of Periodontology, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. | | Source | J Clin Periodontol 2009 Oct 6. | | Abstract | Quirynen M, Dadamio J, Van den Velde S, De Smit M, Dekeyser C, Van Tornout M, Vandekerckhove B. Characteristics of 2000 patients who visited a Halitosis clinic. J Clin Periodontol 2009; doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2009.01478. Abstract
Aims: The aim of this paper was to analyse the aetiology and characteristics of 2000 patients who visited a multidisciplinary bad breath clinic in Leuven, Belgium and to correlate organoleptic ratings with portable device measurements. Materials and
Methods: The characteristics and aetiology of breath malodour of two thousand consecutive patients who visited a halitosis consultation were explored by means of a standard questionnaire and a clinical examination, including organoleptic scores provided by a trained and calibrated judge, and a portable bad breath detector (Halimeter((R))).
Results: Most patients came without referral and had complaints for several years (mean: 7 years, SD: 8 years). For 76% of the patients, an oral cause was found [tongue coating (43%), gingivitis/periodontitis (11%) or a combination of the two (18%)]. Pseudo-halitosis/halitophobia was diagnosed in 16% of the cases; and ear, nose and throat/extra-oral causes were found in 4% of the patients. Most patients had an organoleptic score <3 and a Halimeter((R)) value <240 p.p.b.
Conclusions: Even though it was observed that halitosis has a predominantly oral origin, a multidisciplinary approach remains necessary to identify ear, nose and throat or extra-oral pathologies and/or pseudo-halitosis/halitophobia. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 19811581 |
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