title: Oral health impact of halitosis in Chinese adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare differences in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) between halitosis and non-halitosis patients and to explore relationships between halitosis and OHRQoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who visited the halitosis clinic at the Ninth People's Hospital and were diagnosed with halitosis were included in the halitosis group. The control group consisted of patients without halitosis. All participants were assessed for halitosis (volatile sulphur compound measurements with a portable sulphide monitor, Oral Chroma and organoleptic tests), underwent a clinical oral examination (dental caries status and periodontal condition) and completed a questionnaire. Oral health-related quality of life was measured using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14, Chinese version).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 204 patients (102 halitosis and 102 controls) were included. The halitosis group had significantly higher OHIP-14 scores (severity) than the control group (15.7 versus 7.9, P < 0.001). The mean number of items with negative impact (extent) was significantly different between the halitosis and control groups (1.8 versus 0.3, P < 0.001). Around 56% of participants in the halitosis group reported at least one item with 'fairly often' or 'very often' (prevalence), while 21% did so in the control group (P < 0.001). In halitosis patients, the most commonly reported negative impacts were within the domains of 'psychological discomfort' and 'psychological disability'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral health-related quality of life status was significantly poorer in halitosis patients than in non-halitosis patients. Halitosis patients may experience some degree of psychological discomfort and disability.
authors: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
authors: H-X
authors: HX
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
authors: X-L
authors: XL
authors: Chen
authors: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, 34 Hospital Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors: McM
authors: M
authors: Wong
authors: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Zhu
authors: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Ye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006209:Halitosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Oral Health Impact Profile; halitosis; oral health-related quality of life; periodontal disease