Evaluation of a halitosis clinic over a period of eleven years

About every fourth individual suffers at leasttemporarily from oral malodor. The most frequentcause of it is the oral cavity, in particular thetongue coating. In professional halitosis clinics,findings and diagnoses are discussed with thepatients, and individual therapy concepts are designed. Currently, there are only few ev alua- tions of such clinics, which moreover are con- fined to a period of a few weeks or months. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the halitosis clinic of the University Center of Dental Medicine Basel o ver a period of eleven years. For the purpose of a recall, 638 patients w ere con- tacted, who had visited the halitosis clinic be- tween February 2003 and February 2014. Of these, 280 patients answ ered a special question- naire. The halitosis clinic was rated as helpf ul by 81.9% of the respondents. The majority (61.8%) only rarely or never suffered from bad breath anymore and still carried out the recommended tongue cleaning. Ninety-one patients who re- ported to suffer again from oral malodor, could be re-evaluated also clinically. The strictly cause- oriented therapy concept of the halitosis clinic of the Univ ersity Center of Dental Medicine Basel has proved successful over eleven years.