Halitosis: a social stigma

• Autor(a) principal: Chaves, Maria das Graças Afonso Miranda
• Data de Publicação: 2009
• Outros Autores: de Carvalho, Matheus Furtado, Rodrigues, Paula Afonso
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: HU Revista (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufjf.br/index.php/hurevista/article/view/102
• topic: Halitose. Diagnóstico. Higiene bucal.

Under normal conditions, human breath is odorless or slightly perceptible, changing from pleasant to unpleasant, depending on the sensitivity of the observer. Halitosis or bad breath is an abnormality present in approximately 60% of the world's population and is not considered a disease. The belief that every unpleasant breath is indicative of an organic problem has not been substantiated.  The etiology of halitosis may be multifactorial even in the same individual, with respiratory, gastrointestinal, physical, mental and especially oral factors making the greatest contribution.  Halitosis represents a real biopsychosocial obstacle, being directly influential on family life, work, social environment and sexual life. Diagnosis is unitemporal and specific, requiring in some occasions a multidisciplinary approach. This study presents a literature review of concepts, causes, diagnosis, prevention and possible treatments recommended for halitosis.Keywords: Halitosis. Diagnosis. Oral hygiene