Perception of Halitosis among General Population

Abstract

Objective: To assess the self-perception of halitosis among general population of Karachi along with the oral hygiene methods used. Secondly, the self-perception of halitosis was compared with predictor variables such as age, gender, level of education, and occupation. Study design and setting: Cross-sectional survey; a total of 401 participants of Karachi were recruited in September 2020, Pakistan. Methodology: Using Google Forms, an online questionnaire was developed and consisted of 27 questions regarding demographics and self-perceived halitosis, which was filled by the participants. For the statistical analysis, a multiple linear regression test was used to analyze any significant relation between predictor variables and self-perceived halitosis. Results: Out of the 401 participants, 168 (41.9%) were males and 233 (58.1%) were females. A total of 184 (45.9%) participants suffered from halitosis, with more prevalence in males. Mostly, 251 (62.6%) participants perceived to have halitosis themselves, with tooth brushing the most common (44.9%) way to reduce it. About 340 (84.8%) respondents brushed daily, with twice a day selected by 250 (62.3%). The coated tongue was seen by 124 (30.9%) of participants themselves. Age was found to be significantly associated with self-perceived halitosis. Conclusion: Halitosis is a frequent problem most prevalent in male gender. It has medical and psychosocial impact. Although in general, people are aware of perceiving bad breath themselves, there is still a need for public awareness campaigns to disseminate more knowledge and management options regarding halitosis. Frequent visits to dental and medical healthcare professionals should be encouraged to mitigate this problem.