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Adolescence, Adulthood and Self-Perceived Halitosis: A Role of Psychological Factors

Authors :
Carmela Mento
Clara Lombardo
Mariacristina Milazzo
Nicholas Ian Whithorn
Montserrat Boronat-Catalá
Pedro J. Almiñana-Pastor
Cristina Sala Fernàndez
Antonio Bruno
Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello
Rocco Antonio Zoccali
Source :
Medicina, Vol 57, Iss 6, p 614 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

(1) Background: Halitosis is a frequent condition that affects a large part of the population. It is considered a “social stigma”, as it can determine a number of psychological and relationship consequences that affect people’s lives. The purpose of this review is to examine the role of psychological factors in the condition of self-perceived halitosis in adolescent subjects and adulthood. (2) Type of studies reviewed: We conducted, by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, systematic research of the literature on PubMed and Scholar. The key terms used were halitosis, halitosis self-perception, psychological factors, breath odor and two terms related to socio-relational consequences (“Halitosis and Social Relationship” OR “Social Issue of Halitosis”). Initial research identified 3008 articles. As a result of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the number of publications was reduced to 38. (3) Results: According to the literature examined, halitosis is a condition that is rarely self-perceived. In general, women have a greater ability to recognize it than men. Several factors can affect the perception of the dental condition, such as socioeconomic status, emotional state and body image. (4) Conclusion and practical implication: Self-perceived halitosis could have a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life. Among the most frequent consequences are found anxiety, reduced levels of self-esteem, misinterpretation of other people’s attitudes and embarrassment and relational discomfort that often result in social isolation.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
57060614, 16489144, and 1010660X
Volume :
57
Issue :
6
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Medicina
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.7b730b12cb425d84719165ff5b7f28
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57060614