Oral halitosis is a frequent condition that may be the origin not only of concern due to a possible health condition, but also the cause of frequent psychological alterations leading to social and personal isolation. In the last 20 years, important advances in the knowledge of halitosis etiology and treatment have been made, leading to the assessment of halitosis from a scientific perspective.
Among the research that has focused on halitosis etiology, the evaluation of the bacterial factor is of special relevancy. It is well known that the presence of microorganisms is indispensable for the generation of malodorous components. On the other hand, the bacterial degradation of sulphur-containing amino acids into volatile sulphur compounds leads to the presence of odorous gases in the air expelled from the oral cavity.
It is clear that certain bacterial species are more capable of producing odoriferous gases than others. This fact has lead to the hypothesis that specific bacterial species may be associated to oral halitosis.
In this presentation, available data assessing the association of specific bacterial species with oral halitosis will be reviewed. Both in vitro and in vivo models, as well as clinical studies will help to clarify the mentioned hypothesis. |
