Effect of Tongue Scraping, ZnCl₂ Mouth Rinse, and Periodontal Treatment on the Reduction of Oral Malodor

수종의 구취처치법의 구치감소효과에 관한 연구

This study was performed to investigate the effect of three modalities commonly used for reduction of oral malodor and to review the contributing factors for halitosis. For this study, 45 subjects of good general health in their third decades were selected, and they were divided into three groups by each modality, that is, tongue scraping, $ZnCl_2$ mouth rinse, and periodontal treatment. Subjective sense of halitosis, diets, Oral hygiene index based on tooth brushing and tongue brushing habit, resting salivary flow rate, gingival index, degree of tongue coating were recored in the Halito-Chart designed by the author. Oral malodor converted from volatile sulfur compound was measured by the Halimeter$^{(R)}$(Interscan Co., USA), and the correlation between the oral factors and pre-treatment halimeter score were analysed. Data obtained were analysed by the SPSS windows program and the results of this study were as follows : 1. There were no significant correlation between oral factors such as oral hygiene index, salivary flow rate, gingival index, degree of tongue coating and pre-treatment halimeter score. 2. Difference between pre- and post-treatment halimeter score by the three modalities were significant, but correlation between pre- and post-treatment score within group was most significant in the periodontal treatment group followed by the tongue scraping group and lowest in the $ZnCl_2$ mouth rinse group. 3. Reduction of halimeter score was significant only in subjects with relatively more tongue coating in the tongue scraping group, but in the $ZnCl_2$ mouth rinse group and in the periodontal treatment group, the modality applied to each group had same significant effects without regard to the degree of oral hygiene index or gingival index. 4. Men had more tongue coating than women, and reduction of halimeter score was significant in men, but not in women.