Abstract
Tongue coating is closely related to oral malodor. In this study, the relationship between tongue coating and oral malodor was evaluated as to whether tongue coating score was effective as a screening test for oral malodor. For the initial research, the subjects were 10 university students. Oral malodor was measured using a portable sulphide monitor and the UBC-style organoleptic rating technique. To evaluate the tongue coating, the tongue coating score and tongue coating wet weight were examined. The results indicated that there were positive correlations between mouth odor intensity (organoleptic scores, VSC values) and tongue coating wet weights, between tongue coating wet weights and tongue coating scores, and between tongue coating scores and mouth odor intensity. In an epidemiological study, the subjects were 108 senior high school students. The tongue coating score was examined and oral malodor was measured using a portable sulphide monitor. There was a positive correlation between VSC values and tongue coating scores, and subjects with a tongue coating score of 2 or 3 had high VSC values. Furthermore, the measurement results were analyzed by adapting them to the assessment method of the screening test. Oral malodor was classified as negative when the tongue coating score was 0 or 1 and as positive when the score was 2 or 3. In the portable sulphide monitor measurement, it was decided that a VSC value over 150 ppb was unpleasant. The sensitivity was 55% and the specificity was 71% in the measurement result between 11:00 and 13:00 when oral activity has little influence on VSC value. Both studies indicated that there was a close correlation between oral malodor intensity and tongue coating score. It was also suggested that the tongue coating score can be an indicator of whether a person has unpleasant mouth odor or not.
