Clinical Significance of the Oral Ammonia Analyzer ATTAIN^R for Halitosis Treatment

H. Ueda*¹, Y. Sato², T. Nakayama², M. Hashimoto² ,
and S. Honda²

¹Mitleben R & D Incorporated, ²Honda Dental Clinic Med. Co, Japan

Recently, the halitosis treatment in the dental clinic is needed for the outpatients with malodorous breath, especially for "halitophobic" patients.  H.UEDA has developed the oral gas analyzer, which detects ammonia generated by the urease producing and malodor generating bacteria, with a rinsed aqueous urea solution in oral cavity.  On the other hand, Dr. S. HONDA has started treating malodorous outpatients since July 1999, and succeeded especially with the "halitophobic" patients.  In this study on the halitosis treatment, the clinical significance of the oral ammonia analysis had been examined, and reported.　For the examination of 392 halitosis patients who visited our clinic since July 1999, the organoleptic measurement (with two personnel) and gas analyzers including ATTAIN^R have been used. 　Those patients were categorized into three groups after the diagnosis; 1) "halitophobic" (N=295), 2) halitosis with periodontal disease (N=19), 3) halitosis with causes except dental symptoms (N=65), and others (N=8). The mean values with ATTAIN^R have been compared before- and after-treatment for the cured patients and the results were as follows, 1) "halitophobic": 24.0 and 22.6, 2) halitosis with periodontal disease: 61.3 and 27.4, 3) halitosis: 35.6 and 37.7.  In the case of  periodontal halitosis, ATTAIN^R values greatly decreased, while the post-treatment values for "halitophobic" and halitosis were almost the same as the pre-treatment values.  Accordingly, ATTAIN^R values can be  considered as a useful clinical indicator for halitosis with dental symptoms such as periodontal disease.　　  However, it is much better to utilize, ATTAIN^R measurements together with oral inspections, as well as the organoleptic and or other malodor gas measurement, such as VSC for the diagnosis and treatment of malodor.