The causes of bad breath in children can be a spectrum of different things from the foods they eat to gum disease much in the same way they can be for adults. That said, a vast majority of the time children that suffer chronic bad breath do so because their oral hygiene routine is not yet up to scratch.
The good news is it is easily amended and by addressing the problem children can often quickly get rid of this problem. In this article we are going to take a quick look at some of the things children are missing out on that could be causing their bad breath.
Many children know that they should brush their teeth yet if left to their own devices many will forget or simply choose not to. Brushing is important as it removes plaque and food and cell debris that poor breath causing bacteria could potentially use to grow. Therefore make sure your child brushes their teeth, and does so for a full two minutes.
Flossing is an aspect of dental hygiene many adults ignore let alone children but it is very important for getting rid of those food and cell debris particles brushing can not reach. Although it can be awkward and even sore on young gums flossing should be encouraged and there are fun floss holders that can make the task more appealing to children.
Cleaning the tongue or failure to do so rather is very often a cause of bad breath in children and adults. You see the back of the tongue is where bacteria thrive so we need to remove them by cleaning the tongue either with a brush or tongue scraper. This can be very uncomfortable for adults so introduce it gradually and slowly with any child.
Once the mucus has been cleared from the back of the tongue we can attack the area with an antibacterial mouthwash. There are many gentle brands for children but just be sure to choose one that is alcohol free.
Ultimately the cause of bad breath in children could be one of many things and the information above is a rough guide to some of the more common causes of bad breath. However poor breath can sometimes be a sign of a more serious underlying condition therefore seeking professional opinion is paramount for the correct diagnosis.
Bad BreathThere are a wide variety of factors that can cause childhood bad breath that we need to be aware of if we are to successfully prevent and solve this embarrassing problem. Discover them here.