How to get rid of your child’s bad breath
It’s 9am on a Sunday. You’re still in bed. The door creaks open, and you hear the pitter patter of small feet approaching your bed. You glimpse the presence of a small face right next to yours as you slowly open your eyes. “Mommy…” Whoa, what a whiff of morning breath!!
Even wondered why your child’s mouth smells so bad, especially early in the morning? Let’s discuss some common causes of bad breath in children.
1. Poor oral hygiene
In my experience, poor oral hygiene is the most common cause of bad breath. Food debris and bacteria get stuck to teeth in the form of plaque, and if this sticky layer is not effectively brushed and flossed off, the remnants decompose and release bad smells. Reducing the amount of dental plaque in the mouth will reduce the smells caused by poor oral hygiene.
Food debris and bacteria can also settle on the tongue – you may have seen a white coating on your child’s tongue, especially the young ones who frequently drink milk. A gentle wipe of the tongue after feeding and before sleep would help to reduce the bacterial load.
2. Eating certain types of food
Sulphur-producing foods like eggs, garlic, onion give off a strong pungent smell as they get digested in the gut. Brushing alone only removes the remnants of these foods from the mouth. As the smell comes from within the gut, the smell may persist despite brushing, until the food gets passed out from the system.
3. Cavities
Cavities increase the likelihood of food traps in the mouth, resulting in more bad smells. In the interim, food trapped in cavities can be removed by consistent good brushing and flossing. This may be aided by careful use of a toothpick. The end goal, however, should be to get cavities treated, so that food does not get trapped so easily. Time to schedule that dental check!
Cavities are food traps - when left untreated,
lots of food debris get trapped leading to bad smells!
4. Dry mouth/mouth breathing
Saliva helps to clean away bacteria and food remnants that cause bad breath. At night, saliva production is reduced. The bacteria and food debris build-up results in bad morning breath. In some children, their mouths may stay open when they sleep or even in the waking hours, either habitually or due to congestion in the airways. A good toothbrushing on waking and drinking plenty of water during the day to wash away food debris and ensuring good hydration for saliva production may help with bad breath in such kids.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, and there may be other causes of bad breath in kids. If you’ve tried the above-mentioned tips to reduce bad breath in your child to no avail, don’t suffer in silence - come speak to us to troubleshoot the situation!
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