Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42602239›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oral health2026

Prevalence and determinants of self-reported halitosis in Saudi Arabia: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Faisal Mehsen Alali, Bassel Tarakji, Anas Alsalhani, Samer Rastam, Nasser Raqe Alqhtani, Abdullah Saad Alqahtani, Abdullah Bin Nabhan, Faisal S Alhedyan, Abdullah Almansour, Banna Alnufaiy and 7 more

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Article in Frontiers in oral health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Faisal Mehsen AlaliDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Bassel TarakjiDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Anas AlsalhaniDepartment of Dentistry, Vision Colleges, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Samer RastamDepartment of Medicine, Vision Colleges in Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nasser Raqe AlqhtaniDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Saad AlqahtaniDepartment of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Bin NabhanDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal S AlhedyanDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah AlmansourDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Banna AlnufaiyDepartment of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Rawda Omar AlghabbanDepartment of Paediatric Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.
Rayan Awadh AlaonzyCollege of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed Sultan Al-AteeqCollege of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz Hasan ObiedCollege of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Obaid Khalid AlanaziCollege of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Omar Abdullah AlmawwiCollege of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad Zakaria NassaniDepartment of Restorative and Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Halitosis, or oral malodor, is a common condition with important psychosocial consequences. Self-reported halitosis (SRH) reflects perceived oral malodor rather than objectively confirmed halitosis and remains insufficiently studied in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SRH among Saudi adults and to examine its associations with demographic, systemic, and oral health-related factors. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and June 2025 using a 38-item self-administered web-based questionnaire developed from previous literature, reviewed by experts, and pilot-tested before data collection. The questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms and collected data on demographics, systemic health, oral health practices and conditions, and medication use. A total of 1,064 complete responses were analyzed. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics. Chi-square tests examined bivariate associations, and multivariable binary logistic regression identified independent factors associated with SRH. Results: Among 1,064 participants, 46.9% reported SRH, with the highest prevalence observed among adults aged 31-50 years (55.4%, Conclusions: SRH is common among Saudi adults and appears to be more closely related to perceived oral health and oral hygiene behaviours than to sociodemographic factors and systemic or nasal conditions assessed in this study. These findings support integrating SRH assessment into oral health promotion and routine dental care, with emphasis on preventive oral hygiene, professional consultation, and culturally appropriate public health strategies. Future studies combining self-reported measures with objective clinical assessment are needed to distinguish perceived from clinically confirmed halitosis and to guide targeted interventions.

Indexed as

halitosisoral healthoral hygieneSaudi Arabiaself-report

Identifiers

PMID42602239
PMCPMC13473438

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.