title: Organoleptic assessment of halitosis for dental professionals--general recommendations.
abstract: An organoleptic assessment of an odor is defined as a method that can measure the strength of target odors and expresses the value in terms of a point or number with reference to a pre-defined organoleptic scale. Organoleptic assessments are performed using different scales and are used widely in industry (e.g. for measuring the effectiveness of anti-odor agents), in research (to discover relationships between bad breath and microbiology of the tongue, or the generation of particular volatile compounds), but it is also a prerequisite for the diagnosis of halitosis in individual patients required before directing appropriate treatment. An organoleptic assessment of halitosis patients may be carried out in specialized institutions but--based on the fact that in most cases the odor originates from oral structures--also by dental professionals including general dental practitioners (GDPs). Thus, this paper describes the scientific background for recommendations on how a GDP or dental hygienist or general practitioner with cases of bad breath should use organoleptic methods as a valid approach to assess malodor in patients, with a view to diagnosis and treatment, and subsequent treatment monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greenman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lenton
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seemann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nachnani
mesh_terms: D001944:Breath Tests; D002138:Calibration; D003815:Dentists; D006209:Halitosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000382:microbiology; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds