Abstract
Halitosis is primarily caused by oral conditions. In particular, volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are mainly responsible for intra-oral halitosis. They are closely associated with the water temperature. In this study, we investigated the association between halitosis and water temperature for oral rinse (10℃, 30℃, and 45℃) using the BB checker and oral chroma. The application of BB checker on an empty stomach revealed that halitosis decreased with the use of tongue cleaners (p=0.001) and toothpastes (p=0.002). Furthermore, halitosis decreased after drinking milk (VSCs-induced food intake) (p=0.000). There were no significant differences in the results of oral chroma. Finally, we measured halitosis on an empty stomach and after drinking milk. The BB checker showed increased halitosis after drinking milk (p<0.001). The oral chroma showed decreased hydrogen sulfide (p<0.001) and increased methyl mercaptan (p=0.009) and dimethyl sulfide (p=0.002) after drinking milk. In conclusion, halitosis cannot be modulated using water temperature for oral rinse. The findings of this study cannot be generalized because of the small sample size and the limits of age and sex. Further studies are required to extensively analyze both sexes and various age groups, with more number of subjects.