The aim of this crossover clinical trial was to assess the efficacy of three different types of lozenges on halitosis based on their composition and surface roughness. This crossover clinical trial comprised 35 healthy subjects who were tested after the induction of halitosis via the intake of chips and soft cheese. The breath was analyzed using the organoleptic and instrumental measurement techniques. The effects of three different types of lozenges were tested: apple-flavored (CA, control); apple-flavored with zinc (AZ, <0.2%); and apple-flavored with zinc and a rough surface (AZR, <0.2%). The instrumental and organoleptic measurements were repeated four times with a time interval of 120 s between measurements after the first measurement (baseline). Subsequently, the subjects were asked to describe their experience with the tested type of candy using a questionnaire. Statistically significant reductions in the grade of halitosis were observed after using the three different types of lozenges at the various time-points compared to the baseline value (p < 0.001). Additionally, significant correlations were observed between the instrumental and organoleptic measurements for all the lozenges (p < 0.001). Neither AZ nor AZR showed a significant difference compared to CA with regard to the reduction of the instrumental readings. Furthermore, the subjective feeling of having a fresh breath was not related to the values obtained using the instrumental technique. These findings indicate that lozenges can significantly reduce artificially induced halitosis, regardless of the type used. Nonetheless, additional studies using a larger sample size are required to validate these findings.
Keywords: apple flavor; halitosis; lozenge; rough surface; zinc.