REDUCTION OF ORAL MALODOR BY OXIDIZING LOZENGES

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE STUDY was to examine the anti-malodor properti es of oxidizing lozenges, as compared to breath mints and chewing gum. Healthy, young adult volunteers (N = 123; mean age 24.5 years) were m easured for oral malodor-related parameters (whole mouth odor measured by 2 judges; tongue dorsum posterior odor using the spoon test; volat ile sulphide levels; salivary levels of cadaverine and putrescine; and 2 versions of an oral rinse test) on the first afternoon of the study . They were then assigned randomly to one of 6 groups (2 brands of bre ath mints, chewing gum with no active ingredients, regular and full-st rength oxidizing lozenges, and a no-treatment control), and instructed to employ the treatment before bedtime, the next morning, and in the early afternoon 3 hours prior to measurements, which were carried out 24 hours following baseline measurements. Volunteers also estimated th e level of their own whole mouth and tongue odors at baseline and post -treatment. The data showed that, among treatments, only the full-stre ngth oxidizing lozenge significantly reduced tongue dorsum malodor, as determined by the spoon test. The full-strength lozenge also yielded a significant increase in the modified oral rinse test, presumably due , at least in part, to residual oxidizing activity retained in the ora l cavity. Self-estimations of whole mouth and tongue malodor by volunt eers were significantly correlated with corresponding-judge assessment s, suggesting some degree of objectivity in assessing one's own oral m alodor.