MedWire News: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients are significantly more likely to suffer from bad breath than other people, researchers have found.

"Halitosis, or bad breath, is a complaint that often creates personal discomfort and social embarrassment," say Dr Christian Schwahn and colleagues from the University of Greifswald in Germany.

They explain: "Oral conditions, mainly tongue coating and periodontal diseases, have been reported to be the most common causes of halitosis. In addition, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease has been suggested to be a risk factor for halitosis, but the evidence was not always convincing."

To investigate further, the team surveyed 4310 adults, aged between 20 and 79 years, from a region in northeast Germany.

All the participants were asked whether they suffered from halitosis, reflux disease and other conditions, and underwent medical and/or dental examinations.

In total, around 20% of participants said that they suffered from halitosis and around 17% suffered from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Analysis revealed that, among denture-wearing participants, those with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were 12 times more likely to suffer from halitosis than their counterparts without reflux disease.

Among people who still had their own teeth, participants with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were more then twice as likely to have halitosis as people without the gastrointestinal disorder.

"The present study provides clear evidence for an association between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and halitosis," Dr Schwahn and team conclude.

They add: "Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is a treatable condition, suggesting that anti-reflux therapy for halitosis should be studied."

The research is published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.