Bad Breath in a Child
Bad breath is not just an issue that adults encounter; bad breath in a child is just as severe and requires as much attention to treat.
The same basic causes for halitosis in adults are the same for children such as lack of proper oral hygiene, illness, allergies, and foreign substances present.
Lack of Proper Hygiene - Children need supervision when brushing their teeth.
As the parent, you need to carefully monitor and instill a healthy oral routine which consists of flossing and brushing teeth and tongue for a minimum of two minutes twice per day.
You should encourage your children to rinse their mouths out after a meal and set a good example by doing all of these things yourself.
Illness - Bad breath can be a signal to the parents of certain throat infections, such as pharyngitis or sinusitis and is usually accompanied by complaints of a sore throat and possibly nasal discharge.
Speak to your doctor about antibiotics to kill the bacteria which are most likely the cause of the bad breath.
Allergies - Seasonal allergies are often to blame from bad breath due to excess mucus pooled at the back of the throat, also known as post nasal drip, which bacteria feeds off of.
You may notice your child has itchy, watery eyes, sneezing fits, a runny nose, or any combination of the three.
Speak to your doctor about allergy medicines that are suitable for children.
Foreign Substances - Children tend to put everything in their mouths, and if there is a favorite toy, you can expect it to be in there very often.
An example would be a pacifier, or even certain stuffed animals which are put repeatedly into the mouth and come into contact with saliva repeatedly.
These are prime environments for bacteria to thrive.
Sanitize toys that encounter your child's mouth often by placing either in boiling water for 10 minutes, putting in top rack of your dish washer, or putting in the washing machine on the hot cycle.
There is no excuse for poor hygiene in children, and it should be remedied as soon as possible to avoid possible dental issues as they grow into young adults.
The same basic causes for halitosis in adults are the same for children such as lack of proper oral hygiene, illness, allergies, and foreign substances present.
Lack of Proper Hygiene - Children need supervision when brushing their teeth.
As the parent, you need to carefully monitor and instill a healthy oral routine which consists of flossing and brushing teeth and tongue for a minimum of two minutes twice per day.
You should encourage your children to rinse their mouths out after a meal and set a good example by doing all of these things yourself.
Illness - Bad breath can be a signal to the parents of certain throat infections, such as pharyngitis or sinusitis and is usually accompanied by complaints of a sore throat and possibly nasal discharge.
Speak to your doctor about antibiotics to kill the bacteria which are most likely the cause of the bad breath.
Allergies - Seasonal allergies are often to blame from bad breath due to excess mucus pooled at the back of the throat, also known as post nasal drip, which bacteria feeds off of.
You may notice your child has itchy, watery eyes, sneezing fits, a runny nose, or any combination of the three.
Speak to your doctor about allergy medicines that are suitable for children.
Foreign Substances - Children tend to put everything in their mouths, and if there is a favorite toy, you can expect it to be in there very often.
An example would be a pacifier, or even certain stuffed animals which are put repeatedly into the mouth and come into contact with saliva repeatedly.
These are prime environments for bacteria to thrive.
Sanitize toys that encounter your child's mouth often by placing either in boiling water for 10 minutes, putting in top rack of your dish washer, or putting in the washing machine on the hot cycle.
There is no excuse for poor hygiene in children, and it should be remedied as soon as possible to avoid possible dental issues as they grow into young adults.
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