Background
Recurrent tonsillitis remains one of the most common problems that GPs
manage, with an annual reported incidence of 100 per 1000
population1. Recurrent tonsillitis can have a
significant impact on a patient’s quality of life; repeated absences
from nursery/school /work and hospital admissions can cause a serious
negative impact on both the patient and their family2.
Halitosis is a general term used to define an unpleasant or offensive
odour emanating from expired air, which can originate from both oral and
non-oral sources. Halitosis is a relatively common disorder, with
10-30% of the population said to report it, with the prevalence being
equal between females and males3. Halitosis has
multifactorial origins, most commonly related to pathology in the oral
cavity, oropharynx or respiratory disease. It is mostly due to
putrefying bacteria present on the dorsum of the tongue and the volatile
sulphur compounds (VSC’s) produced from food elements. Halitosis has
significant social and psychological impacts.
Despite very many reports suggesting that tonsillitis causes halitosis,
there is very little published literature to support this. The aim of
this audit was to establish the prevalence of halitosis symptoms in
patients who are SIGN compliant for tonsillectomy due to recurrent
tonsillitis.