Extrait

Background and study aims Bad breath (halitosis) is a common problem that can affect anyone at any age. Although not life threatening, it can cause distress and affect how they interact with other people. Bad breath might be caused by microbes on the surface of the tongue. Cleaning the tongue with a toothbrush has shown to reduce bad breath, but the effects are short lived and doesn’t work for the whole day. The use of a newly designed tongue brush head made from soft silicone microbristles might be more successful at reducing bad breath and therefore relieve the stress and discomfort that this condition can cause. It is used on a power toothbrush handle, as sonic motions clean the tongue better than manual movements. It is also used with a tongue spray that contains mint fresh flavors and other compounds that trap smell gases. This study is looking at whether this new toothbrush combined with an antibacterial tongue spray (BreathRX tongue spray) results in long lasting fresh breath. Who can participate? Adults aged between 18-70 with bad breath. What does the study involve? Participants are randomly allocated to one of four groups. The first group is given the tongue brush to use along with the BreathRX spray, for one morning. Group 2 are given the tongue brush to use and a water spray. Participants in the third group are given BreathRX alone to use. Participants in group 4 are only given water. Bad breath is then measured for every participants in the study, for up to 6 hours. Bacteria from a tongue scrape sample is also counted to see if the root cause of bad breath –bacteria living in the dorsum (surface) of the tongue- are reduced. All participants are given all 4 treatments in turn, with a week passing before they are given the next one (this is called a washout period). What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? The only direct benefit for participants in this study is a possible reduction in their halitosis. However, the information and knowledge that is gained through this study will help benefit people in the future by selecting the best treatments. No major side effects of the treatments are expected to occur. Some participant may experience gagging or a slight burning sensation of the tongue after using the BreathRX tongue spray, but these symptoms will only last for a few seconds. Where is the study run from? University of the West of England (UK) When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? June 2015 to July 2015 Who is funding the study? Philips Electronics UK Who is the main contact? 1. Dr Saliha Saad (scientific) 2. Dr Paola Gomez-Pereira (public)

Critère d'inclusion

• halitosis

Liens

• ictrp
• isrctn