Oral malodor
Oral malodor, often called halitosis or bad breath, is a condition commonly experienced by the general population at one time or another. In most cases the origin of oral malodor in healthy individuals is the oral cavity, particularly the dorsum of the tongue [Rosenberg, 2002, Delanghe et al, 1997]. Bacteria in the oral cavity produce a range of malodorous species including VSCs. VSCs (particularly hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide) have been reported as the major components of human oral malodor. [Tonzetich, 1978, Loesche, 1999]
The presence of oral malodor may also indicate an underlying health issue such as a digestive or metabolic disorder, which can be detected through the observation of malodor exhaled nasally. Some rare metabolic disorders can also cause a strong halitosis. [Porter & Scully 2006]
Visit the IADR/CED Symposium: Addressing Oral Malodor page to see a selection of scientific presentations on aspects of oral malodor .
Click the links below or right to access each section:
