BREATH ODOR - ETIOPATHOGENESIS, ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT

Oral malodor is a significant social disability which usually has a lo cal cause, particularly arising from the oral flora. Malodor may arise from the lingual or periodontal flora, gram-negative anaerobes being the main organisms capable of releasing sulphur compounds from the put refaction of debris and other material. Volatile sulphur compounds, ca daverine and other substances appear responsible for much of the malod or. Systemic disease may underlie some cases of oral malodor. The obje ctive assessment of malodor is still best performed by the human sense of smell (organoleptic method) but more quantifiable measures are bei ng developed.