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.