Adolescence, Adulthood and Self-Perceived Halitosis: A Role of Psychological Factors
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
Affiliations
Carmela Mento
Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Psychiatric Unit Policlinico “G. Martino” Hospital, 98124 Messina, Italy
Clara Lombardo
Psychiatric Unit, Policlinico Hospital “G. Martino”, 98124 Messina, Italy
Mariacristina Milazzo
Psychiatric Unit, Policlinico Hospital “G. Martino”, 98124 Messina, Italy
Nicholas Ian Whithorn
Department of Political Sciences, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Montserrat Boronat-Catalá
Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Pedro J. Almiñana-Pastor
Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Cristina Sala Fernàndez
Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Psychiatric Unit Policlinico “G. Martino” Hospital, 98124 Messina, Italy
Antonio Bruno
Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Psychiatric Unit Policlinico “G. Martino” Hospital, 98124 Messina, Italy
Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello
Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Psychiatric Unit Policlinico “G. Martino” Hospital, 98124 Messina, Italy
Rocco Antonio Zoccali
Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Psychiatric Unit Policlinico “G. Martino” Hospital, 98124 Messina, Italy
(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.
