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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
07:33
Therapeutic Effectiveness of a Dietary Supplement for Management of Halitosis in Dogs
Published on: July 6, 2015
Oral malodour--a review.
1Centre for Adult Oral Health, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. f.j.hughes@qmul.ac.uk
Archives of Oral Biology
|June 14, 2008
Summary
Halitosis, or bad breath, is often caused by oral bacteria. Managing tongue bacteria through hygiene and scraping is key to reducing oral malodour.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Halitosis affects up to 30% of the population, primarily due to local oral causes (oral malodour).
- Oral malodour results from anaerobic bacteria producing volatile sulphur compounds, often linked to tongue coatings rather than periodontitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the primary causes and effective management strategies for oral malodour.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing evidence on halitosis aetiology and treatment.
- Focus on bacterial load reduction in periodontitis and tongue coatings.
- Evaluation of oral hygiene, tongue cleaning, and antiseptic agents.
Main Results:
- Anaerobic bacteria in tongue coatings are a significant cause of oral malodour.
- Oral hygiene, tongue brushing/scraping, and antiseptics are primary management approaches.
- Chemical agents for masking malodour are also proposed.
Conclusions:
- Effective management of halitosis involves reducing bacterial load through improved oral hygiene and tongue cleaning.
- Further research is needed to confirm the long-term effectiveness of various halitosis therapies.
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