Comparison between self-perceived and clinical oral malodor.

Objectives: The aims were to compare self-perceived with clinical oral malodor and to examine risk factors of oral malodor.

Study Design: The study was performed on 565 dental patients. Information on sociodemographics, dental health behavior, and self-perceived oral malodor was collected. Clinical oral malodor, oral health status, and the proteolytic activity of the N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-2-napthilamide (BANA) test in tongue coating were assessed.

Results: The sensitivity and specificity of self-perceived oral malodor were 47.2% and 59.2%, respectively. Risk factors for self-perceived oral malodor were smoking habit and alcohol consumption, whereas those for clinical oral malodor were level of education, dental visit frequency, tongue-brushing frequency, mouth rinse use, deep periodontal pockets, gingivitis, tongue coating, and a high BANA test score.

Conclusions: Self-perception was considered an invalid method of judging one's own oral malodor. Factors related to self-perceived oral malodor were different from those found in clinical oral malodor.