Is Halitosis Associated with Dyspepsia?

Objectives: It is not known whether dyspepsia is related to halitosis. Our aim was to investigate whether the prevalence of halitosis in a group of patients with dyspeptic symptoms was higher than in a control group.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in two outpatient clinics in two teaching hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dyspeptic and control groups (n=309) were composed, respectively, of gastroenterology patients submitted to endoscopy (n=138) and of patients referred from one of the several ambulatories in the hospital, to be submitted to routine blood tests (n=171). One examiner (NCPR) carried out the halitosis organoleptic assessment in all patients, in a quasi-blind fashion. We performed log-binomial regression and Westlake equivalence analysis.

Results: Prevalence of halitosis was 33% (CI 95% 25-41) and 35% (CI 95% 28-42) in the dyspeptic and control groups respectively. In multiple log-binomial analyses adjusting for sex and age, the prevalence ratio was 0,93 (95% CI 0,68-1,28). As the halitosis prevalence 95% confidence interval in the dyspeptic group did not cross the delta limit (±0,10), we could reject the hypothesis that the halitosis proportion in the dyspeptic group was higher or lower than the equivalence band.

Conclusions: Halitosis prevalence was equivalent in dyspeptic and control patients. Until more detailed larger epidemiological studies are carried out, gastroenterologists should be cautious about treating organic or functional dyspepsia as a means to alleviate halitosis.

Funding: CNPq - 402845/2004-8