Prevalence and Risk Factors of Halitosis in Japanese School Children

Background: Little data are available regarding halitosis in Japanese children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with halitosis in Japanese elementary and junior high school children.

Methods: The subjects consisted of 520 elementary (1st-6th grade: boys, n = 284; girls, n = 236) and 248 junior high (7th-9th grade: boys, n = 136; girls, n = 112) school children aged 6-15 years in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. A self-administered questionnaire survey; halitosis measurement using an organoleptic assessment method; and clinical oral examination were conducted.

Results: Overall, 44.9% of subjects had halitosis. The proportion of boys with halitosis was 43.6% and that of girls was 46.6%. On logistic regression analysis, grade and tongue coating were significant predictors of halitosis. The 7th-9th graders were significantly more likely to have halitosis than 1st-3rd graders (OR, 1.83; P = 0.007). Subjects with area of tongue coating score 2 or 3 were 5.51-fold more likely to present with halitosis (P < 0.001) than those with area of tongue coating score 0 or 1. Similarly, subjects with thickness of tongue coating score 2 or 3 were 3.28-fold more likely to have halitosis than those with thickness of tongue coating score 0 or 1 (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Halitosis in the school children is not a rare condition; instead, its occurrence is relatively high. Therefore, inclusion of a halitosis prevention and management component in school oral health programs would lead to the promotion of overall oral health.