Curd Bollen
Consultant Foundation for Oral Rehabilitation, Netherlands
Title: Halitosis: origin, detection and treatment
Biography
Biography: Curd Bollen
Abstract
Bad breath, foetor ex ore or halitosis originates in 85% of the cases out of the oral cavity, although still a large public majority believes it comes out of the stomach. The remaining 15% can come out of the ENT region (10%) or from several systemic disorders (5% - so including the stomach/gastrointestinal tract).Oral bacteria are at the origin of the problem. A clear correlation with chronic periodontitis has been found. Several oral niches play a role in the housing of these bacteria, of which the dorsum of the tongue is of utmost importance.Detection can be performed physical (organoleptical) of by machinery (chair-side or in a laboratory). The treatment consists of 2 approaches: (1) the in-clinic cleaning of the oral cavity, including the tongue and (2) the at-home maintenance instructions. In case of periodontitis, the whole periodontical protocol should be followed. 90% of the halitosis cases can be treated successfully, although a lifelong good oral hygiene has to be performed!Moreover, we are often confronted with cases of pseudo-halitosis or even halitophobia. These patients need a special approach and are better of by a multi-disciplinary setting for their problems (including psychological support). Otherwise these patients continue “shopping†from clinic to clinic and from specialist to specialist…