A Halimeter is an instrument for measurement of the level of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) in the mouth. Halimeter was introduced in the early 1990s as an adjunct method for determining

halitosis Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a symptom in which a noticeably unpleasant breath odour is present. It can result in anxiety among those affected. It is also associated with depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder. Th ...

(bad breath, oral malodor) levels, alongside human assessment of

odor An odor (American English) or odour (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds ...

levels (the latter is considered the

gold standard A gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the early 1920s, and from the la ...

). The instrument measures parts per billion levels of

hydrogen sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The unde ...

and, to a lesser extent,

methyl mercaptan Methanethiol (also known as methyl mercaptan) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula . It is a colorless gas with a distinctive putrid smell. It is a natural substance found in the blood, brain and feces of animals (including huma ...

, two gases which were previously shown to be associated with bad breath using gas chromatograph by Dr. Joseph Tonzetich in the late 1960s. The Halimeter is manufactured by Interscan Corp. in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, and based on their earlier model 1170 portable sulfide monitor. This was the model used in the two original studies. These studies, conducted for the first time by Dr.

Mel Rosenberg Mel Rosenberg (born Melvin Rosenberg, 12 November 1951 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) is a microbiologist best known for his research on the diagnosis and treatment of bad breath (halitosis).

, showed a significant correlation between monitor levels and oral malodor scores. The small size, simplicity of use, and price (relative to

gas chromatograph Gas chromatography (GC) is a common type of chromatography used in analytical chemistry for separating and analyzing compounds that can be vaporized without decomposition. Typical uses of GC include testing the purity of a particular substance, ...

) of the Halimeter made it popular among

dentist A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the mouth, oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofaci ...

s seeking to diagnose and treat bad breath, as well as scientific researchers. Much of the published research on bad breath over the past dozen years has employed this instrument. The

electrochemical Electrochemistry is the branch of physical chemistry concerned with the relationship between electrical potential difference, as a measurable and quantitative phenomenon, and identifiable chemical change, with the potential difference as an outco ...

sensor A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...

is sensitive to

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

vapors, and requires recalibration over time. The Halimeter has been the only VSC monitor for the diagnosis of halitosis for years, but now that its patent has expired, it faces competition from other

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

monitors recently introduced into the marketplace. More recently, the portable gas chromatograph, " OralChroma" has been recommended in the diagnosis of halitosis, as the Halimeter does not detect

dimethyl sulfide Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) or methylthiomethane is an organosulfur compound with the formula (CH3)2S. Dimethyl sulfide is a flammable liquid that boils at and has a characteristic disagreeable odor. It is a component of the smell produced from cook ...

, which is thought by some to be elevated in extraoral causes of halitosis. The OralChroma detects dimethyl sulfide in a semi objective manner, and hence is able to differentiate between oral malodor (intraoral halitosis) and extra-oral halitosis. The halimeter is therefore not indicated if extra-oral halitosis is suspected (its use will only be able to rule out intra-oral halitosis), but is useful for diagnosis and clinical monitoring of intra-oral halitosis.

References

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External links

Official Halimeter websiteTel-Aviv University website on oral malodor
Oral hygiene

See also

References

External links