A plenary review of halitosis

Abstract

Halitosis is any noxious smell arising from the oral cavity when breathing or speaking. Breath malodor is a condition that have health and social implications. The origin of oral malodor are caused by both systemic and oral conditions. Oral malodour leads to social embarrassment and can adversely affect individual’s social interactions. Though many oral and non-oral sources could give rise to halitosis, the volatile sulfur compounds –produced by microbial activity- were the main elements of oral malodor. In addition, there are very few instances where patients suffer from pseudohalitosis or halitophobia. Diagnosis play an important role in oral malodour and there are many direct and indirect measurements techniques and chairside diagnostic kits are available.