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Relationship Between Halitosis and Mouth Breathing Among Pediatric Population: Exploring the Contributing Factors
1Preventive Dental Sciences Department, Dental College and Hospital, Taibah University, Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Children who breathe through their mouths are more likely to experience halitosis (bad breath). This study found a significant link between mouth breathing and bad breath in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Otolaryngology
- Oral Health
Background:
- Mouth breathing in children can lead to upper-respiratory issues.
- Understanding the link between breathing patterns and oral health is crucial for pediatric care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between halitosis and mouth breathing in children.
- To determine if mouth breathing is a risk factor for bad breath in the pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 232 children aged 2-6 years in Saudi Arabia.
- Breathing patterns assessed via clinical examination, mirror, and water-in-mouth tests.
- Halitosis measured using Breath Alert™ and Halimeter devices.
Main Results:
- Mouth breathing was identified in 47.8% of participants, nasal breathing in 52.2%.
- A significant relationship was found between breathing patterns and halitosis (p=0.001).
- Mouth breathers showed a higher prevalence of halitosis (59.6%) compared to nasal breathers (40.4%), with an odds ratio of 2.37.
Conclusions:
- Mouth breathing is significantly associated with an increased risk of halitosis in children.
- Pediatric patients exhibiting mouth breathing patterns require evaluation for halitosis.
Purpose:
In the pediatric population, mouth breathing can cause obstruction, congestion and other upper-respiratory tract diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between halitosis and mouth breathing in the pediatric population.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was carried out from February to April 2023. It included 232 children aged between 2-6 years from specialized clinics of pediatric dentistry in Saudi Arabia. The study sample was categorized in two groups such as nasal and mouth breathers. Breathing patterns were identified using clinical examination, mirror testing and water-in-mouth test under the supervision of an otolaryngologist. Breath AlerttTM device and Halimeter were used for the assessment of Halitosis. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and binary logistic regression, as effect size measures, with p-values (<0.05) considered as statistically significant.
Results:
Out of 232 participants, 115 were males (49.6%) and 117 (50.4%) were females. In terms of breathing patterns, 111 (47.8%) individuals were classified as mouth breathers, whereas 121 (52.2%) primarily used nasal breathing. Findings revealed no significant relationship between gender and breathing pattern (p = 0.191) nor between gender and halitosis in mouth breathers (χ2= 0.035, p = 0.852) or nasal breathers (χ2= 0.001, p = 0.972). However, breathing patterns and halitosis were found to be significantly related (χ2= 10.466, p = 0.001). The results showed that (n = 62) 59.6% of the participants who were mouth breathers experienced halitosis, in contrast to (n = 42) 40.4% of nasal breathers. Further, the effect size confirmed that mouth breathers were more likely to experience halitosis than nasal breathers (OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.395-4.039, p = 0.001).
Conclusion:
Mouth breathers are more prone to develop halitosis as compared to the nasal breathers.
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