Effectiveness of Professional Plaque Control on Malodor Reduction

Objectives: Even with increasing numbers of oral hygiene devices, many individuals are concerned about unpleasant mouth odor, which creates psychological problems in terms of not only personal health, but also social relationships. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of professional plaque control in reducing malodor.

Methods: The sample for this study was drawn from outpatients of the Dept. of Preventive Dentistry, Chosun University Dental Hospital, during 2004-2006. The sample consisted of 64 individuals, 37 females and 27 males, who came to the hospital on account of malodor. They had no physical disease and no record of medication. The patients underwent scaling, chair-side direct TBI (especially the toothpick method, TP), and measurement of periodontal pocket depth. Oral malodor was analyzed for volatile sulfide compounds (VSC) by means of an Oral Chroma^® device. Significant differences in duration and VSC relationship were tested by non-parametric methods.

Results: In the group with serious malodor, hydrogen sulfide decreased to one-tenth after 2 wks (p > 0.05). In the group with mild malodor, dimethyl sulfide decreased more than 90% after 4 wks (p > 0.05). In the group with weak malodor, methyl mercaptan decreased to one-tenth after 4 wks (p > 0.05). After 4 wks, the total volume of VSC was reduced 18-fold in the group with serious malodor, 1.2-fold in the group with mild malodor, 3.5-fold in the group with weak malodor, and two-fold in threshold or malodor strangeness group (p < 0.05).The mean reduced pocket depth was 0.27 mm, and the rate of reduced bleeding on probing was 16.54%.

Conclusions: These results provide a meaningful basis for clinicians and dental hygienists, as specialists, to instruct their patients in aspects of oral self-oral and oral hygiene. Professional toothpick brushing plaque-control methods can reduce malodor effectively and contribute to good periodontal conditions.