Objective: The short-term and overnight effect of three treatment regimens on oral halitosis were investigated: toothbrushing with a reference toothpaste, toothbrushing with reference toothpaste and tongue cleaning, and toothbrushing and tongue cleaning with a tooth-and-tongue gel. Method and Materials: Fifty-four subjects meeting the inclusion criteria for bad breath were enrolled in the study. All subjects received each of the three treatment regimens in a balanced design. Efficacy was assessed by organoleptic ratings and volatile sulfur compound (VSC) measurements 5 and 60 minutes after first application and overnight after 7 days of repeated use. Results: The combination of toothbrushing and tongue cleaning with tooth-and-tongue gel provided the best results in terms of organoleptic ratings and VSC measurements at all time points compared to the other treatment regimens. Conclusion: The use of tooth and tongue gel for both toothbrushing and tongue cleaning showed a positive short-term and overnight effects after 7 days of use. This treatment regimen is a promising approach to control halitosis. (Quintessence Int 2012;43:709–718)

Key words: halitosis, organoleptic, tongue cleaner, tongue gel, toothpaste, VSC