Fear of bad breath more among women, say docs
Mrinal Ghosh, a corporate employee, was talkative and cheerful. When she developed jaundice she took off work for a month. But when she returned, she was not the same person anymore. She would not talk much and hesitated to laugh loudly.
Ghosh had developed a condition called halitophobia. In this condition the person feels he or she is suffering from bad breath, when in reality one is not. It is opposed to halitosis, which is an actual condition of bad breath.
Although Ghosh had developed bad breath due to intense medication, her phobia remained even after the problem was over, making her feel self-conscious in social situations.
“Among the patients I see, two out of 10 suffer from halitophobia. Women and children are more prone to this disorder,” said Dr Sunita Gupta, head, oral medicine, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS).
Nearly 50 million Indian adults, which is 5 per cent of adult population suffer from halitophobia. It includes nearly 30 million females.
The reason for such psychological disorder is usually a previous bad experience. “Children are prone to the disorder, especially those who have visited another dentist, but did not have a good experience. Even among adults, it is usually a traumatic experience which leads to such phobia,” said Dr Gupta.
Most dentists turn their patients to psychologists. Dr Samir Parikh, director, mental health department, Fortis Healthcare, said, “In present day time where looks have become so important, a large number of people have anxiety about their teeth.
“At the same time, understanding the importance of good self presentation is a positive attribute.
“The idea is to balance it so that one feels good about oneself, present himself in best manner possible, and yet doesn’t go overboard with self correction. A dose of counseling is needed to rid people of bad breath phobia.”
But in most of the cases the phobia a root cause, like in the case of Ghosh.
“Many of these patients are the ones who have not been brushing the teeth, or have diseases like diabetes and abdominal disorders for which they are taking medicines. Thus, they develop bad taste and dry mouth,” she said.
But not all halitophobic patients need a visit to the psychiatrist.
“People may suffer from bad breath for reasons other than dental cause. It is important to diagnose it properly and be sent to the right specialist. I have to recommend only few of my patients to a psychiatrist,” said Dr Gupta.
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