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Ileri Keceli T, Gulmez D et al. Oral Dis 2015; 21: 66–73

The association between tongue coating and oral malodour in adults is well established. In addition, tongue brushing lowers the bacterial load and reduces oral malodour. The aim of this study was to examine such associations in children. Sixty-nine children with halitosis were assigned randomly to one group who carried out tongue brushing twice a day together with oral hygiene following instruction, and one group that performed only oral hygiene, again following instruction. Halitosis was quantified by measuring organoleptic assessment (smelling for oral malodour) and volatile sulphide compounds measurements. The Winkel tongue coating index was significantly lower after 15 days. However, this was not associated with a corresponding decrease in organoleptic scores and volatile sulphide compounds measurements over that achieved by enhanced oral hygiene only. In addition, there was no differences between 'culture-positive anaerobic bacteria', recovered from tongue coating samples at baseline and after 15 days, for both oral hygiene regimens.