Halitosis - Fetor-oris.

Background: An overview is presented on the etiology, diagnosis, and therapy of halitosis. Methods: Results are given of our multidisciplinary halitosis outpatient department started in 1994. The team consists of ENT specialists and paradontologists, occasionally assisted by a psychiatrist. The oral odor is confirmed with a halitometer (Interscan Corporation, Model RH-17E USA). 491 Patients, nearly the same number of males as females, mostly between 20 and 50 years of age were seen. Results: Oral causes (87 %) were due to tongue coating (51 %), gingivitis (17 %), paradontitis (15 %), or combinations of factors (17 %), The other 13% involved causes related to ENT problems (4 %), both ENT and oral (3 %), digestive tract (1 %), and presumed psychiatric pathology (5 %). Conclusions: Many patients underwent diagnostic and therapeutic aimed interventions to no avail prior to their arrival in our halitosis clinic. Usually advising the patient to maintain better oral hygiene is sufficient.