Introduction

Breath malodour is a condition that has health and social implications rendering it an area of oral science that spans medical and psychological issues.  Current social norms emphasize the importance of personal image and interpersonal relationships.  In this context, breath malodour may be an important factor in social communication and, therefore, may be the origin of concern not only for a possible health condition but also for frequent psychological alterations leading to social and personal isolation.

This being the case, oral malodour's importance goes beyond the knowledge of its cause, diagnosis, and therapy because it interacts with other sociological issues such as culture, religion, race, sex, and social taboos.  Knowledge and written reference to this condition dates back to ancient cultures.  A clear example comes from the Hebraic liturgics (the Talmud), dating back more than two thousand years ago, which clearly states the terms of a marriage license (the Ketuba) may be legally broken in case of malodour of one of the partners.  Similar references can be found in writings from Greek, Roman, early Christian, and Islamic cultures.  However, this condition was not studied scientifically until the 1940's and 1950's when Fosnick et al developed an instrument called the osmoscopy, which measures the sources of malodour.  They demonstrated this problem could be either physiologic or pathologic, and the source of bad breath could originate from the mouth, the nasopharynx, or various other parts of the body.  During the last 30 years, our knowledge of this phenomenon has become much greater, and the sources and causes of malodour have become clearer.

Click Here To Navigate Within Article >> Abstract Introduction Prevalence and Social Importance of Halitosis Classification of Halitosis Etiology of Halitosis Factors Involved In The Etiology of Halitosis The Role of Bacteria In Oral Halitosis The Role of Physical and Chemical Conditions of the Oral Cavity The Role of Substrates The Role of the Dorsum of the Tongue Association Between Halitosis and Periodontal Disease Diagnosis of Halitosis References About the Authors
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Citation Number: Vol. 2, No. 4, Page 002