Light with or without chemical agents has been used to induce therapeutic and antimicrobial effects. With
photodynamic therapy, the antimicrobial effect is confined to areas covered by a photosensitive
dye and irradiated with light. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of
photodynamic therapy for the treatment of
halitosis in adolescents through the analysis of volatile
sulfur compounds, especially
sulfide. A controlled, clinical trial was conducted with 45 adolescents randomly allocated to three groups: group 1,
photodynamic therapy administered to the dorsum of the tongue; group 2, treatment with a tongue scraper; and group 3, treatment with a tongue scraper combined with
photodynamic therapy. The diagnosis of
halitosis was performed using gas chromatography before and
after treatment. Comparisons were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls test, with the level of significance set at 5 % (p < 0.05).
After treatment, a statistically significant reduction in
halitosis was found in all groups (p < 0.001). The greatest reduction in total
sulfides (median = 0) occurred with the combination of tongue scraper and
photodynamic therapy. The present study describes a novel option for the treatment of
halitosis in adolescents with an immediate effect that does not involve the mechanical aggression of the lingual papillae that occurs with conventional treatment.
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