Halitosis: Helicobacter pylori or oral factors.

INTRODUCTION: Halitosis is a common complaint among people which has various socioeconomic effects. The prevalence of halitosis includes a variety of 22% up to 50% in different societies. According to studies, there have been reports of remarkable improvements in halitosis after Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment. In studies on the relationship between H. Pylori and halitosis, the role of oral factors as the most important cause of halitosis has been neglected. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of oral factors on halitosis in patients with H. Pylori.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 dyspeptic patients who had H. pylori-positive serologic test were examined by an organoleptic method for the presence of halitosis. DMFT index was used in order to record the dental status. Oral hygiene was evaluated using the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S).

RESULTS: The mean DMFT index was 9.09 ± 3.97. The score of simplified oral hygiene index was 1.79 ± 0.949. There was a direct and significant relationship between halitosis with DMFT, OHI-S (P < 0.01). There was no significant relationship between halitosis and coated tongue (P > 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, there is a relation between oral factors and halitosis in patients with positive H. pylori test. Due to the lower level of all these indices in patients with halitosis, we cannot attribute halitosis in patients with H. pylori infection to the presence of this microorganism with certainty.