摘要：Bad breath (halitosis) is a complaint that concerns a large part of the population. It may occur in people of both sexes and at every age. Bad breath draws attention of the environment, makes interpersonal contacts difficult and embarrassing. Halitosis is not a disease but a symptom which should be considered in medical and psychological aspects. The causes of the complaint may be local – it may result from the changes occurring in the oral cavity – or systemic – related to diseases of the entire system. In ca. 90% of the population who report bad breath, the cause is located in the oral cavity, and has either a non-pathological or pathological character. In recent years an increasing significance in the etiology of halitosis has been ascribed to a deposit on the dorsum of the tongue. A particular role in identifying the cause/s and applying an efficient treatment of halitosis is played by a dentist in cooperation with a primary care physicians and other medical specialists. Health education of the general public should include information on halitosis
关键词：halitosis; halitosis; bad breath; health problems; social problem; prophylaxis; przykry zapach z ust; problemy zdrowotne; problem społeczny; profilaktyka
