Prevalence of halitosis among preclinical medical and dental students

Halitosis is the unpleasant breath arising from a person’s oral cavity. It is a global problem affecting people of all age groups. It is deemed by many as a psychosocial stigma that can change a person’s social life. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence as well as knowledge of halitosis among preclinical dental and medical students of Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal. A pre-validated questionnaire consisting of multiple choice questions about halitosis was distributed among the participants. For each question, the participants were to choose an appropriate response from the provided list of options. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis. The responses of male and female subjects were compared using the Chi-square test. A p-value < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. The prevalence of self-perceived halitosis was high (60%) among students of both genders. Halitosis was reported to be worst on awakening and was found to have a negative effect on the social life and self-confidence of most of the afflicted students. The dental and medical students of both the gender had limited knowledge regarding the various factors which can cause halitosis. There is a need to improve the level of education and awareness of halitosis among these preclinical students as they are the health care providers of the future. Hence they should strive to be a health symbol and keep their mouth free from halitosis so that they can be an inspiration for their patients and the society on the whole.