Impact of Bracket Design and Oral Hygiene Maintenance on Halitosis in the Orthodontic Patient

Background

Halitosis refers to the condition of malodor of the oral cavity (2009). Halitosis is estimated to affect 50% of the population with varying degrees of intensity and etiology (Meskin 1996). In 80% of all cases halitosis is secondary to underlying oral conditions (Miyazaki, Sakao et al. 1995).The etiology of halitosis is often caused by food debris and biofilm buildup on the teeth and tongue, deep periodontal pockets, severe carious lesions and poor dental restorations (Yaegaki and Sanada 1992; Morita and Wang 2001; Morita and Wang 2001). The odor emanating from the oral cavity is produced by microbial putrefaction of residual oral debris, resulting in production of malodorous Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs) (Porter and Scully 2006). Previous studies have shown that the amount of VSCs in breath increases with the number, depth, and bleeding tendency of the periodontal pockets (Quirynen, Zhao et al. 2002). Therefore plaque control, which directly impacts periodontal health, is an important factor in the control of halitosis.

Halitosis can be diagnosed by 3 primary methods (Yaegaki and Coil 2000; van den Broek, Feenstra et al. 2007)

1. Organoleptic method: The primary reference standard for the detection of oral malodor is the human nose and this method involves direct sniffing of the expired air by a trained judge. This assessment can also be done by scraping the posterior dorsum of the tongue with a spoon and smelling the contents.
2. Gas chromatography: This is the method of choice for researchers. It allows for the identification and quantification of individual components within the air sample. The measurement of VSC can be obtained and differentiated with using samples from saliva, tongue coating and breath. Disadvantages to this method are high cost and the requirement of highly trained personnel. This assessment cannot be done chairside and requires a separate laboratory procedure.
3. Sulfide monitoring: This method is superior to gas chromatography in that it is possible to measure total VSC instead of determining individual compounds. An electrochemical reaction occurs with the sulfur compounds found in the expired air, which is collected from a tube in the patient's mouth. The halimeter (Interscan Corporation, Chatsworth CA) is the most recognized device for sulfide monitoring.

Management of halitosis is approached through three primary methods: masking products, mechanical reduction of micro-organisms and their substances and chemical reduction of microorganisms (van den Broek, Feenstra et al. 2008). Masking products like mint and flavored chewing gum has only a short masking effect, lasting less than 3 hours (Reingewirtz, Girault et al. 1999). Clinical studies examining the mechanical reduction of microorganisms revealed that brushing the teeth exclusively was not effective in reducing oral malodor (Yaegaki and Sanada 1992; Kleinberg and Codipilly 2002). With approximately 60% of VSCs originating on the surface of the tongue, brushing the dorsum of the tongue was found to be more effective than tooth brushing alone (Yaegaki, Coil et al. 2002). Furthermore, cleansing the tongue with a tongue scraper showed superior performance when compared to use of a toothbrush (Pedrazzi, Sato et al. 2004). Based on previous studies, the dorsum of the tongue has been shown to be an important source of oral malodor (Loesche and Kazor 2002). Chemical approaches to minimize halitosis include mouth rinses that specifically reduce the total number of microorganisms in the oral cavity. Chlorhexidine mouth rinse is the most effective anti-plaque agent on the market today and has been shown to reduce VSCs by 43% (Rosenberg, Kulkarni et al. 1991; Addy and Moran 1997).