Halitosis: Current concepts on etiology, diagnosis and management

Abstract

Halitosis or oral malodor is an offensive odor originating from the oral cavity, leading to anxiety and psychosocial embarrassment. A patient with halitosis is most likely to contact primary care practitioner for the diagnosis and management. With proper diagnosis, identification of the etiology and timely referrals certain steps are taken to create a successful individualized therapeutic approach for each patient seeking assistance. It is significant to highlight the necessity of an interdisciplinary method for the treatment of halitosis to prevent misdiagnosis or unnecessary treatment. The literature on halitosis, especially with randomized clinical trials, is scarce and additional studies are required. This article succinctly focuses on the development of a systematic flow of events to come to the best management of the halitosis from the primary care practitioner's point of view.

Keywords: Diagnosis; etiology; halitosis; management.

Figure 1

A schematic representation of classification of halitosis

Figure 2

An investigative protocol workup in a clinical setting for a patient who presents to primary care practitioner

Figure 3

Management strategy for a patient with halitosis depending on the type and etiology (Modified from porter and scully, 2006)[10]