In recent years, there has been increasing interest in research showing positive results in antimicrobial
photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and
laser therapy (LT) in dentistry. The authors of this review tried to answer the question: "Is the effectiveness of
lasers and aPDT in the elimination of intraoral
halitosis possible?" For this purpose, the electronic database of PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched until September 2021 using a combination of different keywords: (bad breath OR fetor ex ore OR
halitosis OR oral malodor) AND (
laser OR
PDT OR PACT OR photodynamic inactivation OR
photodynamic therapy OR photodynamic antimicrobial
chemotherapy). Initially, 83 studies were identified. A total of 9 articles were qualified after the application of the eligibility criteria. Eight works concerned aPDT treatment, and only one dedicated to the Er,Cr:
YSGG laser. A significant reduction in
halitosis occurred immediately after both LT and aPDT. The review found the confirmation of the effectiveness of
laser therapy in reducing the number of volatile
sulfur compounds (VSC) and the amount of anaerobic bacteria responsible for VSC formation. In most studies, a positive effect was observed for a 1-week follow-up.
Laser therapy (aPDT, Er,Cr:YSGG) effectively eliminates microorganisms that produce volatile compounds and can effectively eliminate bad breath for the longer period of time than traditional methods of combatting this ailment.