Association between volatile sulphur compounds, periodontal disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with halitosis

OBJECTIVES. The aim of this research was to evaluate the correlation between three different kinds of Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSC), periodontal disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS, In this study, we used a gas chromatograph capable of measuring levels of VSCs individually and displaying their concentration in a diagram expressed in nanograms/10 mL. 40 patients were selected on the basis of diagnosed periodontal diseases and the reported symptom of gastroesophageal reflux. RESULTS. Our results show that periodontal disease was linked to a high concentration of hydrogen sulphide, whereas gastroesophageal reflux was linked to high concentration of dimethyl sulfide. CONCLUSIONS. Halitosis is a condition characterized by consistent foul-smelling breath that may indicate a wide range of local and systemic diseases, or may be due to specific eating habits. It may also be a diagnostic factor for psychiatric disorders. A gas chromatograph detecting sulphur gases in breath makes the diagnosis of halitosis easier and adds useful data for the diagnosis of periodontal disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease.