AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF HALITOSIS AMONG GENERAL POPULATION – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Halitosis or Oral malodor is defined as an unpleasant breath odor and it is an important dental problem in which the affected are not conscious of it, and it also causes individuals to lose self-confidence and thus affecting their social life. It can also be because of underlying systemic condition but most prominently it is due to improper maintenance of oral hygiene. AIM: The study aims at assessing awareness and knowledge of halitosis among general population and their perception of it. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 512 individuals of age 18-70 years through online forums due to COVID 19 pandemic situation. A pre-validated questionnaire with 22 closed ended question on Google forms were circulated on social media platforms like WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. The collected data was subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: It was observed that 66% believed that halitosis was related to oral hygiene and 68% believed that smoking and alcohol consumption caused bad breath and 60% agreed that tongue coating and food lodgment caused halitosis. About 64.6% stated that bad breath affected their social life by reducing their self-confidence. CONCLUSION: Halitosis is the one of the unattractive aspects affecting psychosocial interaction and relationship, it needs multiple approach to treat. The result of the study indicates that awareness of halitosis among general population is very high whereas knowledge on prevention of halitosis is comparatively less. KEY WORDS: Halitosis, Bad breath, oral hygiene measures, oral malodor, social life