Vol. 11, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Introduction: Halitosis is considered a condition that affects more than 50% of the population, it is of multifactorial origin, due to poor oral hygiene, prolonged fasting and imbalance in the intestinal microbiota.

Objective: To analyze the literature on relevant aspects of halitosis, particularly its etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and manifestations.

Methodology: A literature review was carried out in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases using the keywords: etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, oral manifestations, and Boolean parameters AND, OR and NOT.

Results: It is manifested due to both extraoral factors, associated with systemic diseases, and intraoral factors, such as tart tongue, periodontal diseases and poor oral hygiene practices, which represent between 80% and 90% of the cases. The main compounds responsible for bad breath are volatile sulfur compounds, especially hydrogen sulfide and acetaldehyde; it can be diagnosed by various tools such as organoleptic testing, assessment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, gas chromatography and biomarkers. Its treatment has advanced significantly, including approaches that seek to restore the balance of the oral microbiota, therapies based on traditional medicine, the use of biomarkers, and conventional treatments such as chlorhexidine, 5% glutamine, fractional exhaled nitric oxide and probiotics. Photodynamic therapies, especially aPDT, have shown particular promise.

Conclusion: Halitosis is mainly caused by volatile sulfur compounds and alterations of the oral microbiome, diagnosed with advanced tools and treated with innovative approaches such as photodynamic therapies, probiotics and traditional medicine. Its integrated management combines conventional methods and emerging therapies to restore oral balance, offering effective solutions in most cases.