Studies on Characteristics and Related Factors in Halitosis Patients

구취 환자의 특성 및 관련 인자에 대한 연구

Objectives : Halitosis is a common human condition, exact pathophysiological mechanisms of which are unclear. This study, which investigates halitosis patients' characteristics and their related factors, was done with intent to establish a foundation for the Oriental Medical treatment of halitosis. Methods : 329 patients were surveyed by reviewing medical charts and questionnaires from the East-West Halitosis Clinic of Kyunghee Medical Center from May 1, 2001 to December 31, 2002. Sex, age, illness duration, coating on the tongue, postnasal drip, globus pharyngeus, indigestion, condition of feces, halimeter measurements and results of the salivary scans were analyzed. Results : The thick and yellowish coating on the tongue was not a major cause of halitosis in the patients studied. Among the halitosis patients, 21.6% complained of postnasal drip, 15.6% of globus pharyngeus, 37.4% of indigestion, and 23.8% of diarrhea or constipation, suggesting the possibility of extra-oral origin in oral malodor. Conclusions : This study suggests that, when treating halitosis patients, intra-oral causes of halitosis aside, Oriental Medical treatments such as solving qi-stasis(氣鬱), augmenting deficiency of the spleen qi(碑氣虛) and treating gastric fever(胃熱) constitute effective management for oral malodor patients.