Subjective Halitosis: Definition and Classification.

Subjective halitosis is not confirmed by halitometer or third party individuals despite the patient insistently complaints malodor. This condition is named imaginary, delusional, pseudo, non-genuine, psychogenic, psychosomatic halitosis, halitophobia, body odor psychosis, depression, hypochondriasis, olfactory reference syndrome, chronic olfactory paranoid, syndrome, olfactory obsession, obsessive-compulsive disorder, olfactory delusion and more. Almost all of the terms are psychiatric but they have been described by the dentistry related authors. Many of them need correction acording to pshyciatric concepts. In the dental literature there is confusion on the terminology and description of clinical forms of subjective halitosis has not been truely paid attention. This paper reviews and defines the terminology on subjective halitosis. It may appear in clinically neurological (neurogenic) or psychological (psychogenic) forms. Each category is apperantly described, reframed, terminology corrected, made it more understandable. We conclude that dental practitioners should be couraged to discover halitosis in a way whether a case in subjective or but not to diagnose psychiatric disorder in the patient with halitosis.