Oral Malodor
Definitions
1. Halitosis Definition: Unpleasant odor exhaled in breathing
Oral Malodor Important Notes
1. Bana test
- It is a chairside test
- It exploits unusual trypsin enzymes found in Treponema denticola, P.gingivalis, and Bacteroides
Forsyth
Bana Test Procedure:
- Subgingival plaque is obtained with a curette
- The samples are placed on the BANA strip, which is then inserted into a slot on a small toaster-sized incubator
- The incubator automatically heats the sample to 55 degrees for 5 minutes
- If P.gingivalis, T.denticola, and B.forsythus is present the test strip turns blue
- The bluer it turns, the higher the concentration and greater the number of organisms
2. A trained judge sniffs the expired air and tests whether it is unpleasant or not using an intensity rating normally from 0 to 5
Oral Malodor Short Essays
Question 1. Diagnosis of halitosis.
Answer:
Halitosis Diagnosis:
1. Medical history:
- Evaluates the cause
- The patient is asked about
- Relevant pathologies
- Frequency
- Time of appearance
- A time when the problem first appeared
- Presence of contributing factors like dry mouth, allergies
- Medications taken
2. Clinical examination:
- Self-examination is done by
- Smelling metallic/plastic spoon after scraping the back of the tongue
- Smelling toothpick after introducing it in the inter-dental area
- Spitting in a small cup
3. Measurement approach:
- Subjective organoleptic approach:
- The subject is instructed not to eat, chew, rinse, or smoke before 2 hours
- Trained clinician sniffs the expired air and rates it from 0-5
- 0- No odor present
- 1- Barely noticeable odor
- 2-Slight but clearly noticeable odor
- 3-Moderate odor
- 4- Strong offensive odor
- 5- Extremely foul odor
- Gas chromatography:
- Consists of a monitor which measures levels of Hydrogen Sulphide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulfide and displays in the form of a graph
- Halimeter:
- Measures sulfide levels in healthy persons
- BANA test:
- BANA – Benzoyl-d, L-arginine-naphthylamide
- Bacteria like P-gingivalis, T denticola, and B- forsythias degrade the BANA compound
- This changes its color
- Thus, used to measure bad breath
- Chemiluminescence:
- Step Mixing of the sulfur compound and mercury compound
- Resultant product results in fluorescence
Question 2. Halitosis.
Answer:
Halitosis Definition:
- Unpleasant odor exhaled in breathing
Read And Learn More: Periodontics Question and Answers
Halitosis Classification:
- Physiologic
- Pathologic
- Oral
- Extraoral
Halitosis Causes:
1. Physiologic:
- Mouth breathing
- Medication
- Fasting
- Aging
- Tobacco
- Food
2. Pathologic:
- Periodontal infection
- Tongue coating
- Stomatitis, Xerostomia
- Faulty restoration
- Unclean denture
- Ulcers, Abscess
- Systemic diseases
Halitosis Pathogenesis:
Microbial putrefaction
↓
Proteolysis of protein
↓
Rises to volatile sulfur compounds
Halitosis Diagnosis:
- Clinical examination
- Subjective organoleptic
- Halimeters
- BANA test
- Chemiluminescence
- Gas chromatography
Halitosis Treatment:
- Scaling
- Irrigation
- Tongue brushing
- Use of mouth rinse
Recent: use of Halita
Oral Malodor Short Answers
Question 1. Halimeter.
Answer:
- It is an electronic device that analyzes the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan
- Mouth air is aspirated by inserting a drinking straw fixed on the flexible tube of the instrumental
- Straw is kept about 2 cm behind the lips while the per- son keeps the mouth slightly open and breathes through the nose
- It uses a voltammetric sensor that generates a signal when exposed to sulfur-containing gases
Halimeter Result:
- 150 ppb or lower-indicates absence of oral malodor
- 300-400 ppb- Indicates elevated concentration of volatile sulfur compounds
Halimeter Advantages:
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Less embarrassing for patients
Halimeter Disadvantages:
- Lack specificity
- Detects only sulfur compounds
- Used only for intraoral causes
Question 2. BANA test.
Answer:
- BANA – Benzoyl-d, L-arginine-naphthylamide
- Bacteria like P-gingivalis, T denticola, and B-forsythias degrade the BANA compound
- This changes its color
- Thus, used to measure bad breath
Question 3. Halita.
Answer:
- Used for treatment of Halitosis
Halita Composition:
- 0.05% Chlorhexidine
- 0.05% Cetyl Pyridium chloride
- 0.14% zinc lactate
Halita Mechanism:
- Bonding of zinc ion with twice negatively charged sulfur radicals
- Results in a reduction in the expression of volatile sulfur compounds
- Halita also has antimicrobial action
Question 4. Causes of halitosis
Answer:
Physiologic
- Mouth breathing
- Medication
- Fasting
- Aging
- Tobacco
- Food
Pathologic
- Periodontal infection
- Tongue coating
- Stomatitis, Xerostomia
- Faulty restoration
- Unclean denture
- Ulcers, Abscess
- Systemic diseases
Oral Malodor Viva Voce
- Organoleptic assessment by a trained judge is the gold standard in the examination of breath malodor
- 0.05% chlorhexidine is used in halitosis
- Mouth spray reduces oral malodor by means of masking the oral malodor
- Skatole has the highest volatility