[Halitosis--Part 1: epidemiology and pathogenesis].

From an epidemiologic perspective halitosis concerns a large section of the population. Reports from affected people go back to ancient times. The causes may be both oral and non-oral changes. Oral causes are predominantly the coat of the tongue as well as marginal periodontitis. The non-oral causes include disorders in the field of the ear, nose and throat specialist, some general disorders, several drugs, smoking, special nutritional habits as well as disorders in the gastro-intestinal tract. Psychosomatic causes play an important role. Bacterial decomposition processes are decisively responsible for the development of halitosis.The occurring volatile sulphur compounds increase the permeability of oral mucosa, for example for endotoxins, and damage the periodontal tissue.