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2nd. Edition

Summary

Among some three hundred individuals who sought advice regarding bad breath, over a 11-month period in 1992, women accounted for 60%. Whereas actual odor judge scores are higher for men, women give higher self-estimation scores than men. Characteristic odor from the posterior tongue dorsum, sampled with a plastic spoon, was a major factor in the presenting malodor. We propose that this odor derives, mainly, from postnasal drip, which accumulates there. Although, in most cases, odors from the oral cavity itself were noted, malodor emanating from the nasal passages was not uncommon. In contrast, not one case of odor deriving from the stomach was found. Whereas, in many cases, the physiological causes of malodor can be rectified, the psychological element is relatively intractable. "Halitophobic" subjects with imaginary bad breath often remain convinced that they continue to have bad breath, despite professional counsel to the contrary. Finding ways to help the population of subjects with greatly overexaggerated concern of bad breath remains a challenge for future consideration.