Halitosis, salivary b-galactosidases and oral health status in children whose practice sport

Aim: The aim of this work was to evaluate the association among halitosis, salivary β-galactosidases and oral health status in children whose practice sport. Methods: 50 children attending the rst visit in the Department of Paediatric Dentistry have been included in the study. All patients were interviewed about their medical history in order to collect their anamnestic data. In particular the number of sport hours activity performed by each child per week, has been recorded. A dentist examined the oral cavity of the patients and the following clinical parameters have been recorded: number of deciduous and permanent teeth, caries (on deciduous and permanent), presence of gingivitis (0=no; 1=yes), lingual patina index (0-3), oral infections (0=no; 1=yes), oral hygiene index (0=insuf cient, 1=suf cient, 2=good), presence of at least one incongruous restoration (0=no, 1=yes), oral breathing (0=no; 1=yes), ssured tongue (0=no, 1=yes), presence of aftous ulcers, herpetic lesions or candidiasis (0=no, 1=yes), food starvation (0=no; 1=yes). Halitosis measurement: The oral malodour assessment has been carried out by two trained judges that scored the air exhaled from patients’ mouth, by using the organoleptic intensity scale, based on Rosenberg et al. (20), as follows: 0 = absence of odour; 1 = questionable malodour; 2 = slight; 3 = moderate; 4 = strong; and 5 = severe. The OralChroma was used to measure the VSC concentration: hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulphide. The salivary β-galactosidases activity has been carried out both by using the colorimetric method than spectrophotometrically, as described by Petrini et al. Results: Increasing the hours of sport activity, we have measured a decrement of all halitosis-related parameters. In particular the Spearman rank correlation has shown an inverse association among hours of sport/ week and the level of β-galactosydases measured spectrophotometrically; it decreases appreciably at 3 and 4 hours of sport practiced/week. The same trend has been con rmed also for β-galactosidases activity measured through the colorimetric method. Interesting was that, children whose practiced more sport hours/week were characterized by a minor patina index, prevalence of gingivitis and organoleptic value. These data have been con rmed also by the positive correlation among sport activity performed each weeks and the level of oral hygiene: children whose practiced more sport were characterized by a better oral hygiene and lower levels of H2S in the exhaled air measured at the Oralchroma. Conclusions: Children whose practiced more sport were characterized by a minor incidence and severity of halitosis, a better oral hygiene and a minor prevalence of gingivitis.