About this trial
The study population will consist of undergraduate dental students enrolled at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Faculty of Dentistry. A total of 100 students, including 50 first-year and 50 fifth-year dental students, will be included. Eligible participants will be healthy students who meet the study criteria and provide written informed consent. Participants will undergo subjective and objective halitosis assessments, including questionnaires, organoleptic evaluation, volatile sulfur compound measurements, tongue coating assessment, and DMFT index recording.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Dentistry at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University.
First-year and fifth-year dental students who agree to participate in the study and provide written informed consent.
Healthy students with no systemic diseases affecting oral health or halitosis assessment.
Students with normal nasal breathing ability.
Disqualifiers
Students with systemic diseases that may affect halitosis, including diabetes mellitus, respiratory disorders, liver cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, or gastrointestinal disorders.
Participants with active upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, tonsilloliths, or other conditions affecting oral odor.
Participants with a history of antibiotic use within the previous 3 weeks.
Pregnant or breastfeeding students.
Trial population
The study population will consist of undergraduate dental students enrolled at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Faculty of Dentistry. A total of 100 students, including 50 first-year and 50 fifth-year dental students, will be included in this cross-sectional observational study. Eligible participants will be healthy students who meet the inclusion criteria and provide written informed consent. The study aims to evaluate the relationship between duration of dental education and halitosis by comparing objective and subjective halitosis measurements, including organoleptic assessment, volatile sulfur compound (VSC) measurements using a portable digital halitometer, halitosis perception questionnaires, tongue coating index, DMFT index, and perceived stress levels.
Trial design
Other
Prospective
Treatments tested in this trial
Not listed
Trial groups
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
Halitosis Level Assessed by Organoleptic Evaluation
Halitosis level will be assessed using the organoleptic evaluation method performed by two trained evaluators. The perceived odor intensity will be scored according to a standardized 0-5 scale: 0 = no odor, 1 = barely noticeable odor, 2 = slight but noticeable odor, 3 = moderate odor, 4 = strong odor, and 5 = extremely strong odor. The mean score of the two evaluators will be recorded as the organoleptic halitosis score. A score of ≥2 will be considered indicative of halitosis.
Volatile Sulfur Compound (VSC) Levels Measured by Portable Digital Halitometer
Exhaled breath volatile sulfur compound (VSC) levels will be measured using a portable digital halitometer. Three measurements will be obtained from each participant, and the mean value will be recorded in parts per billion (ppb). Values ≥125 ppb will be considered indicative of halitosis.
Self-Perceived Halitosis Level Assessed by Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Participants' self-perception of oral malodor will be evaluated using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no perceived halitosis and 10 indicates severe perceived halitosis.
Secondary outcomes
Perceived Stress Level Assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
Participants' perceived stress levels will be evaluated using the Turkish validated version of the Perceived Stress Scale. The scale consists of 8 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 0 to 32. Higher scores indicate higher perceived stress levels.
Tongue Coating Index (TCI)
Tongue coating will be evaluated visually on the dorsal surface of the tongue using the Tongue Coating Index. Scores range from 0 to 3: 0 = no coating, 1 = coating covering less than one-third of the tongue surface, 2 = coating covering less than two-thirds, and 3 = coating covering more than two-thirds of the tongue surface.
Dental Caries Experience Assessed by DMFT Index
Dental caries experience will be assessed using the DMFT index, which records the number of decayed (D), missing due to caries (M), and filled (F) teeth. The total DMFT score will be calculated as D + M + F.
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