Knowledge and Awareness of Halitosis Causes among Taibah University Students in Al-Medinah, Saudi Arabia, 2017

Abstract

Background: Halitosis is a significant change in breath odour that has a negative social impact, affecting many people around the world. It can cause social and personal isolation, decrease the quality of life and may indicate the presence of a more severe disease. Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness levels of the causes of halitosis among Taibah University students in AL-Medinah city, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A self-administered electronic questionnaire on knowledge and awareness of the causes of halitosis was distributed on a randomly selected sample of students from Taibah University. Results: The response rate was 45% (540). Our questionnaire revealed that most respondents thought halitosis was normal after eating strong-smelling food (92%), sleeping (72%) and smoking (71%). Ninety-seven percent of the participants said that oral diseases are the most common causes, while only 40% considered the stomach to be the most frequent pathological cause. Great percentages (<55%) related nine causes of bad breath (out of the given 15) to halitosis. According to 315 (58%) respondents, dentists are the most qualified specialists to treat halitosis and only 53 (9%) thought that halitosis patients should be referred to ENT specialists. Finally, more than half the population said they had not received any education about halitosis. Conclusion: This finding demonstrates that knowledge and awareness about halitosis causes seem to be insufficient among Taibah University students. Therefore, health officials must increase their efforts in educating the society about this serious problem.