What is the relationship between halitosis and interdental hygiene?
Halitosis is the array of unpleasant odours that emanate from the mouth. Halitosis is a problem that affects 30% of the population and can have social repercussions.
In most cases it originates in the mouth. Specifically, two thirds of all cases of orally originating bad breath are caused by gingivitis- and/or periodontitis-causing bacteria (the remaining one third is caused by bacteria that accumulate in the folds of the tongue).
Anaerobic bacteria (which can live without oxygen) that accumulate under the gums, in the cases of gingivitis or periodontitis, and on the back of the tongue, metabolize proteins from diet and saliva and transform these into gases known as volatile sulphur compounds (VSC), which are responsible for the malodour.
