What are the causes for bad breath in children? My small girl suffered from halitosis and I know from experience that it is not a very pleasant situation. I always wanted to know why does my toddler have bad breath? I did a lot of research on the subject. If you want to know what causes poor breath in children, then read to find out more.
Bad breath is a common problem in adults, however pungent breath in kids is even worse even though sometimes ignored. This condition it can affect a child very early in life but it can have a huge impact on the child later in life if it is not treated early.
There are many different causes for toddler bad smell. Knowing whether your child has bad mouth odor is very simple, the bad pungent smell in the mouth constantly or occasionally is a perfect sign.
So what are common Causes For Bad Breath in children?
Chronic bad breath in children is caused by a build up of excessive oral bacteria in the mouth and tongue. The build up is due to food debris in the mouth, plaque or the otherwise common gum disease in toddlers.
Some common foods such as onions and garlic are real suspects causing bad smell in the mouth. These foods contain volatile sulfur compounds which smell bad after some incubation in the oral cavity leading to bad breath. Diary products such as cheese and milk also cause a child's breath to smell bad after consumption. Sugar packed foods also make bacteria to grow by providing perfect conditions in the mouth of kids.
Lack of saliva in the mouth also lead to smelly mouths in children, this is why a child with halitosis will have bad pungent mouth early in the morning.This is due to the inactivity of salivary glands when the child is asleep. Some medications like aspirin can also lead to a decrease in saliva production. Saliva is used for digestion and also act as a natural mouth wash.
Though not common in adults, infections can be a major cause of bad oral cavity odor in children. These include tonsillitis and respiratory infections in children. Other infections in toddlers like kidney and gastrointestinal disturbance can also lead to bad smell from the mouth.
Poor dental hygiene in children can also lead to halitosis, children need to brush for three minutes two times a day. If this is not done well, then a child can have an offensive smell form the mouth.
Halitosis in children should be controlled very early to avoid having them suffering from low self esteem later in life.
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