Prevalence of Self-Perceived Oral Malodor in a Group of Thai Dental Patients

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and correlated factors of self-reported oral malodor in Thai dental patients from Chulalongkorn Dental Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS A self-administered questionnaire was developed to assess the self-reported perception of oral malodor in 839 patients. Significant associations between self-perceived oral malodor and sociodemographics, oral problems and oral hygiene practice variables were determined by Chi-square test. RESULTS The prevalence of currently self-perceived oral malodor was 61.1%. A higher prevalence of self-perceived oral malodor was significantly correlated with a number of factors including being 30 years of age or older, having a high school or lower educational level, tongue coating, xerostomia, bleeding when brushing teeth, never receiving professional tooth cleaning and a lower toothbrushing frequency. However, multivariable analysis showed that tongue coating was the factor most strongly associated with self-perceived oral malodor (OR=3.53; CI=2.05-6.08), followed by bleeding when brushing teeth (OR= 2.96) and being 30 years of age or older (OR=2.46). Subjects with oral malodor perceived by themselves and others had a higher level of self-perceived oral malodor, a higher prevalence of bad odor when talking, in the morning and throughout the whole day, and a higher prevalence of consulting with other people in comparison with those with perception by themselves alone. CONCLUSION Tongue coating, bleeding when brushing teeth and being 30 years of age or older were significantly associated with self-perceived oral malodor. The level of self-perceived oral malodor and consulting with other people was more prevalent in subjects with oral malodor perceived by themselves and others.