In this publication we are going to talk about a very important topic and that is the Halitosis. It could be considered as a "social disease", Which is nothing other than a unpleasant odor coming from a person's breath, frequently associated with poor oral hygiene or diseases of the oral cavity. In addition to this, it is also a symptom of severe systemic diseases that need a specific diagnosis and treatment.
We must be very clear that most adults suffer halitosis at some point in their lives, with General Practitioners being the first professionals who are normally consulted. Speaking in figures, about a 30% of adults older than 60 years have suffered or suffer from halitosis at any time.
Halitosis patients are frequently unaware that they suffer from this bad breath due to the inability we have to smell our own breath or also because they get used to this smell due to constant exposure. The 58% are reported by other people, only in a 24% are they able to notice it for themselves.
In 90% of cases, Bacteria located mainly on the back of the tongue and in the gingival sulcus are responsible for the bad odor from the oral cavity.
It is a bit difficult to diagnose Halitosis by yourself, since we cannot always detect whether or not we have bad breath, much less what the reasons may be.
To set the oral origin you can take into account the following:
It is important to examination of the oral cavity by a professional, both teeth and soft tissues including lips, this in order to find ulcers caused by trauma, infection or neoplasm.
In certain cases, an X-ray may be necessary to identify a cavity that reaches the pulp of the tooth.
The coating on the tongue is related to bad odor, this being the main cause of bad breath in the absence of periodontal disease.
General hygiene measures to prevent or counteract Physiological Halitosis:
Measures to prevent or counteract Pathological Halitosis
Measures to prevent or counteract Pathological Halitosis due to extraoral causes
Measures to prevent or counteract Pseudohalitosis
Measures to prevent or counteract Halitophobia
To finish we can say that Halitosis even when it is considered more a social problem in relation to poor dental hygiene or diseases of the oral cavity, greater attention should be paid as it may be the manifestation of pathology at other levels.
As we always recommend, the best that can be done is to assist with a Professional in the area so that he or she reviews our case promptly and that we have clarity about our diagnosis and know about the process that we must carry out and take into account.