Diagnosis and Treatment of Halitosis: An Overview

Abstract

‘Halitosis’ or bad breath is an unpleasant problem that affects people socially and psychologically. Halitosis is caused by a mixture of breath with malodorous compounds emanating from different areas of the oral cavity, respiratory tract and upper digestive tracts.Breath odor research captured the scientific community's attention during the last few decades. This has led to advances in analytical instruments used for identification and measurement of these malodorous compounds. The dental profession's response to the problem of halitosis has been met with hurdles in regards therapy often due to perceptive differences of the patient. This review attempts to highlight the identification, classification, diagnosis and treatment of halitosis.