Prevalence of self-perceived halitosis, demographic factors and oral health care among defined groups of dental students in Iran

Aim: This study was to determine the prevalence of self-perceived halitosis and the associated factors regarding health care among dental students. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 225 dental students. Information form which contained demographic factors and habits (cigarettes and alcohol), self-perceived halitosis and health cares was filled by them. Then, the organoleptic test was done. People whose organoleptic test score was ≥2 were considered with halitosis. Statistical tests such as Chi-square, Mann–Whitney, and logistic regression modeling were used to examine the relationship between variables and halitosis and their severity. Results: Out of 225 patients enrolled, 127 were female and 98 were male. Mean age of patients was 21.72 years. A total of 151 patients (67.1%) suffered from halitosis (66.9% of women and 67.3% of men), which showed no significant difference between them. Self-perceived halitosis was 76.9%. Among patients, 43 (19.1%) smoked. The odds for halitosis in people who did not use mouthwash regularly were 2.03 times higher than those who used mouthwash (P = 0.029). Moreover, people who brushed their teeth once a day were more likely to develop halitosis than those who brushed more than twice a day (odds ratio [OR] = 2.73, P = 0.038). The odds for halitosis was 1.86 times higher in people who did not use floss than those who used floss (P = 0.07); although this difference was not statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The use of tongue scrap was not significantly associated with the halitosis (OR = 1.13, P = 0.71). Conclusion: Self-perceived halitosis was high (76.9%) in dental students. In more than 75% of students who had genuine halitosis, halitosis had a negative effect on their social relations.