- Email: [email protected]
Adolescent bad breath
after drinking or rinsing with water when the two groups were compared. The rinsing group, however, had a significant change in their perception of MBB after their intervention compared to their perception before the intervention. Discussion.—MBB is caused by the accumulation of oral bacteria during sleep that release odorous gases. Drinking water and rinsing with water both significantly reduced the organoleptic scores for study subjects. Tongue coating and discoloration were not significantly different in the two groups, with both having a heavier coat on the back part of the tongue in the middle section. With respect to the difference between rinsing and drinking, subjects who rinsed with water tended to report a greater feeling of freshness than those who simply drank water.
Clinical Significance.—Both rinsing with 15 ml of water and drinking 200 ml of water on
awakening can reduce MBB. Neither method is better than the other, although rinsing may impart a greater feeling of freshness, probably through the swishing action. Of practical significance for researchers, studies where MBB is assessed should control drinking and rinsing behaviors so they do not alter MBB parameters between participants.
Van der Sluijs E, Slot DE, Bakker EWP, et al: The effect of water on morning bad breath: A randomized clinical trial. Int J Dent Hygiene 14:124-134, 2016 Reprints available from E Van der Sluijs, Dept of Periodontology, Academic Ctr for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Univ of Amsterdam and VU Univ Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands; e-mail: [email protected]
Adolescent bad breath Background.—Oral malodor or bad breath is a common problem affecting all age groups and countries across the world. Most research on malodor has involved adult patients, with few focusing on adolescents of high school age. Adolescence is that period from age 10 to 19 years when individuals experience physical and psychological transitions that move them into adulthood. Among the influences on adolescents is peer acceptance or rejection. Adolescents with poor social skills or low self-esteem are more likely to experience peer rejection. Past studies of oral malodor among high school age individuals indicate that an oral health education program that addresses oral malodor may serve as a motivational tool to promote better oral health behaviors. An investigation of the oral malodor found among public high school adolescents and the factors that may be associated with the problem was undertaken.
females said they brushed their teeth at least twice a day, with just 71.6% of males reporting this practice. Nearly 10% more of the female subjects cleaned their tongue daily compared to the male subjects. When asked about brushing on the assessment day, 94.8% of the female subjects said they did and just 83.0% of the males reported brushing. Fifty-four percent of the subjects reported being conscious of their own oral malodor, with male subjects more conscious of the problem than female subjects (57.0% versus 51.7%). This difference was not statistically significant. Untreated decay was found in 245 (36.8%) of the subjects, with 9.5% having plaque covering over a third of the anterior tongue and 7.5% having moderate gingivitis. Tongue coating on over a third of the dorsal tongue was found in52.8% of all subjects.
Methods.—The students were seniors in high school in Saitama prefecture, Japan, and included 377 male subjects and 288 female subjects, for a total of 665 students. Each completed a questionnaire to gather demographic and lifestyle information and a clinical examination, in which oral malodor was measured using the organoleptic method.
Female subjects’ plaque scores were better that those of male subjects, with over half scoring zero, whereas just 41.9% of male subjects scored zero. Gingivitis status demonstrated similar patterns. Tongue coating data did not differ significantly between the genders.
Results.—Better oral health behaviors were reported by the female than the male subjects. A total of 87.5% of
Oral malodor was noted in 26.0% of the subjects, with 24.8% of these scoring a two and 1.2% scoring a three on
318
Dental Abstracts
the organoleptic test. Oral malodor did not differ between the genders. Among the factors showing associations with oral malodor were skipping breakfast on assessment day, daily tongue cleansing, and plaque accumulation. Significantly more individuals who skipped breakfast had oral malodor than individuals who ate breakfast (36.2% to 24.3%, respectively). About 10% fewer subjects who cleaned their tongue daily had oral malodor compared to those who did not perform this cleansing. More subjects with a plaque score of 2 had oral malodor (41.3%) than among subjects with lower plaque scores (24.4%). Similar values were noted for gingivitis and oral malodor. The percentage of subjects with a gingivitis score of 2 was nearly twice as high (42.0%) as that for subjects with a more favorable gingivitis score (24.7%). As the area of the tongue coating increased, the percentage of subjects with oral malodor also increased. Logistic regression analysis showed that subjects who skipped breakfast were 1.7 times more likely to have oral malodor than those who ate breakfast. Those who did not clean their tongue daily were 1.7 times more likely to have oral malodor than those who performed this behavior. Odds of having oral malodor doubled with increased tongue coating area. When more than two-thirds of the dorsal tongue area was coated, subjects had a 7.7 times higher likelihood of having oral malodor.
Discussion.—Tongue coating, daily tongue cleansing, and eating breakfast showed significant relationships to the presence of oral malodor in these adolescent subjects. School health education should incorporate information about proper tongue cleansing and eating breakfast daily, as well as other healthy behaviors, so students will be informed about how to avoid oral malodor and its associated social rejection.
Clinical Significance.—When dentists and dental hygienists deal with adolescent patients, it can be very useful to have the information in this study at hand. This presents the opportunity to talk about how to avoid bad breath and any associated problems through simple daily cleansing and eating behaviors.
Rani H, Ueno M, Zaitsu T, et al: Oral malodour among adolescents and its association with health behaviour and oral health status. Int J Dent Hygiene 14:135-141, 2016 Reprints available from M Ueno, Dept of Oral Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental Univ, 1-5-45 Bunkyo, 113-8549 Tokyo, Japan; fax: þ81-3-5803-0194; e-mail: [email protected]
EXTRACTS MOVE OR DIE YOUNG Researchers at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge find that even a daily brisk 20-minute walk can reduce the risk of early death by up to 30%. The study included data from 334,000 men and women over an average of 12 years and collected data on height, weight, waist circumference, and selfreported levels of physical activity. Compared to no activity, moderate activity lowered the chance of premature death. ‘‘Efforts to encourage small increases in physical activity in inactive individuals likely have significant health benefits,’’ states the study’s lead author, Ulf Ekelund. Dr David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, says, ‘‘The message from this study is clear and simple—for any given body weight, going from inactive to active can substantially reduce the risk of premature death.’’ The impact of exercise was greatest for people of normal weight but overweight and obese individuals also benefited. Researchers estimated that exercise that burns 90 to 110 calories a day may lower early death risk by 16% to 30%. Aerobic exercise sparks the body’s immune system, improves cognitive function, increases energy levels, strengthens muscles and bones, and reduces the risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Dr Ekelund notes that increasing physical activity level is as important as reducing the level of obesity—or more so. Both fitness and lean body mass are important. Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist at New York University Medical Center in New York City, explains, ‘‘If you look at the human body, you will notice the odd, irregular shapes of the bones and muscles. Just the musculoskeletal architecture of the human body shows it is designed to move.’’ [Reinberg S: Lack of Exercise More Deadly Than Obesity: Study. HealthDay News, January 14, 2015]
Volume 61
Issue 6
2016
319
Clinical Significance.—Both rinsing with 15 ml of water and drinking 200 ml of water on
awakening can reduce MBB. Neither method is better than the other, although rinsing may impart a greater feeling of freshness, probably through the swishing action. Of practical significance for researchers, studies where MBB is assessed should control drinking and rinsing behaviors so they do not alter MBB parameters between participants.
Van der Sluijs E, Slot DE, Bakker EWP, et al: The effect of water on morning bad breath: A randomized clinical trial. Int J Dent Hygiene 14:124-134, 2016 Reprints available from E Van der Sluijs, Dept of Periodontology, Academic Ctr for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Univ of Amsterdam and VU Univ Amsterdam, Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, 1081 LA Amsterdam, The Netherlands; e-mail: [email protected]
Adolescent bad breath Background.—Oral malodor or bad breath is a common problem affecting all age groups and countries across the world. Most research on malodor has involved adult patients, with few focusing on adolescents of high school age. Adolescence is that period from age 10 to 19 years when individuals experience physical and psychological transitions that move them into adulthood. Among the influences on adolescents is peer acceptance or rejection. Adolescents with poor social skills or low self-esteem are more likely to experience peer rejection. Past studies of oral malodor among high school age individuals indicate that an oral health education program that addresses oral malodor may serve as a motivational tool to promote better oral health behaviors. An investigation of the oral malodor found among public high school adolescents and the factors that may be associated with the problem was undertaken.
females said they brushed their teeth at least twice a day, with just 71.6% of males reporting this practice. Nearly 10% more of the female subjects cleaned their tongue daily compared to the male subjects. When asked about brushing on the assessment day, 94.8% of the female subjects said they did and just 83.0% of the males reported brushing. Fifty-four percent of the subjects reported being conscious of their own oral malodor, with male subjects more conscious of the problem than female subjects (57.0% versus 51.7%). This difference was not statistically significant. Untreated decay was found in 245 (36.8%) of the subjects, with 9.5% having plaque covering over a third of the anterior tongue and 7.5% having moderate gingivitis. Tongue coating on over a third of the dorsal tongue was found in52.8% of all subjects.
Methods.—The students were seniors in high school in Saitama prefecture, Japan, and included 377 male subjects and 288 female subjects, for a total of 665 students. Each completed a questionnaire to gather demographic and lifestyle information and a clinical examination, in which oral malodor was measured using the organoleptic method.
Female subjects’ plaque scores were better that those of male subjects, with over half scoring zero, whereas just 41.9% of male subjects scored zero. Gingivitis status demonstrated similar patterns. Tongue coating data did not differ significantly between the genders.
Results.—Better oral health behaviors were reported by the female than the male subjects. A total of 87.5% of
Oral malodor was noted in 26.0% of the subjects, with 24.8% of these scoring a two and 1.2% scoring a three on
318
Dental Abstracts
the organoleptic test. Oral malodor did not differ between the genders. Among the factors showing associations with oral malodor were skipping breakfast on assessment day, daily tongue cleansing, and plaque accumulation. Significantly more individuals who skipped breakfast had oral malodor than individuals who ate breakfast (36.2% to 24.3%, respectively). About 10% fewer subjects who cleaned their tongue daily had oral malodor compared to those who did not perform this cleansing. More subjects with a plaque score of 2 had oral malodor (41.3%) than among subjects with lower plaque scores (24.4%). Similar values were noted for gingivitis and oral malodor. The percentage of subjects with a gingivitis score of 2 was nearly twice as high (42.0%) as that for subjects with a more favorable gingivitis score (24.7%). As the area of the tongue coating increased, the percentage of subjects with oral malodor also increased. Logistic regression analysis showed that subjects who skipped breakfast were 1.7 times more likely to have oral malodor than those who ate breakfast. Those who did not clean their tongue daily were 1.7 times more likely to have oral malodor than those who performed this behavior. Odds of having oral malodor doubled with increased tongue coating area. When more than two-thirds of the dorsal tongue area was coated, subjects had a 7.7 times higher likelihood of having oral malodor.
Discussion.—Tongue coating, daily tongue cleansing, and eating breakfast showed significant relationships to the presence of oral malodor in these adolescent subjects. School health education should incorporate information about proper tongue cleansing and eating breakfast daily, as well as other healthy behaviors, so students will be informed about how to avoid oral malodor and its associated social rejection.
Clinical Significance.—When dentists and dental hygienists deal with adolescent patients, it can be very useful to have the information in this study at hand. This presents the opportunity to talk about how to avoid bad breath and any associated problems through simple daily cleansing and eating behaviors.
Rani H, Ueno M, Zaitsu T, et al: Oral malodour among adolescents and its association with health behaviour and oral health status. Int J Dent Hygiene 14:135-141, 2016 Reprints available from M Ueno, Dept of Oral Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental Univ, 1-5-45 Bunkyo, 113-8549 Tokyo, Japan; fax: þ81-3-5803-0194; e-mail: [email protected]
EXTRACTS MOVE OR DIE YOUNG Researchers at the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge find that even a daily brisk 20-minute walk can reduce the risk of early death by up to 30%. The study included data from 334,000 men and women over an average of 12 years and collected data on height, weight, waist circumference, and selfreported levels of physical activity. Compared to no activity, moderate activity lowered the chance of premature death. ‘‘Efforts to encourage small increases in physical activity in inactive individuals likely have significant health benefits,’’ states the study’s lead author, Ulf Ekelund. Dr David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, says, ‘‘The message from this study is clear and simple—for any given body weight, going from inactive to active can substantially reduce the risk of premature death.’’ The impact of exercise was greatest for people of normal weight but overweight and obese individuals also benefited. Researchers estimated that exercise that burns 90 to 110 calories a day may lower early death risk by 16% to 30%. Aerobic exercise sparks the body’s immune system, improves cognitive function, increases energy levels, strengthens muscles and bones, and reduces the risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Dr Ekelund notes that increasing physical activity level is as important as reducing the level of obesity—or more so. Both fitness and lean body mass are important. Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist at New York University Medical Center in New York City, explains, ‘‘If you look at the human body, you will notice the odd, irregular shapes of the bones and muscles. Just the musculoskeletal architecture of the human body shows it is designed to move.’’ [Reinberg S: Lack of Exercise More Deadly Than Obesity: Study. HealthDay News, January 14, 2015]
Volume 61
Issue 6
2016
319