Halitosis

Abstract

Halitosis is a widespread condition presenting several social and psychological implications, leading to a reduction in the quality of life of an individual. Halitosis, per definition, defines an unpleasant smell of the exhaled air, independent of its etiology. It can have a long-term prevalence or be transient, making it difficult to establish this symptom's epidemiology. Oral malodor can be attributed to a high local concentration of intraoral microbial populations, particularly those of the tongue's biofilm, as well as the biofilms associated with teeth and periodontal tissue. Frequently, the treatment options rely on improving oral health via tongue cleaning, detecting periodontal diseases, insufficient dental restorations, alternating diets, and/or alleviating local factors. Different methods targeting specific bacteria species have been designed to improve this condition. The aim here is to underline the correlation between oral biofilms and halitosis, describing prime bacteria species influencing oral malodor and addressing new concepts to ameliorate this condition.