It is not true that the bad breath It only occurs in adolescents and adults, and we know that many parents, it is more, in many occasions we can get to anticipate some disease thanks to him. But for children who present this symptom systematically it can become a real problem.
From Pediatric Zone they tell us that 'halitosis' is a symptom of numerous conditions ranging from poor dental hygiene to sinusitis, being able to bring serious social consequences for the affected child. " It seems that at the time of waking it is normal for the kids to have bad breath, and it is that during sleep the production of saliva is scarce, and this facilitates the development of volatile substances that are caused by the 'flora' of the mouth. So the fact that we observe this bad smell in the morning should not be a cause for concern.
There are other causes of pathological origin ...
... which may require medical or dental treatment, the most frequent are tooth decay and upper airway infections:
Cavities and lack of dental hygiene.
Infections of the upper airways.
Stomatitis
Colds, colds, sinusitis, adenoiditis, angina, etc.
Vomit
Prolonged fast
Diseases digestive tract (reflux, gastritis, diverticula, etc.)
Strange bodies in mouth or nose
The doctor should always be consulted for the bad breath of a child that persists throughout the day without a detectable cause.
Bad breath treatment
It is obvious that if it is associated with a certain pathology, It is this that must be diagnosed and addressed by the pediatrician, with whom we will talk about the solutions.
However in many cases, proper dental hygiene reduces the problem, and is a determining part of the general treatment of halitosis. The best time for tooth brushing is the 20 minutes following food consumption, because it is the period of bacterial plaque producing activity. It is also advised to make a good brushed tongue.
If the child has dental caries it should be treated by the dentist. For the prevention of dental disorders it is necessary to take children to oral health checks or reviews. It is also advised take care of the mouth eating food with enough fiber, and drinking a lot of water.
From the Argentine site, they tell us some curiosities, such as (for example) the foul smell we perceive in children is due to objects housed in the nasal cavities (does it sound like you?). Or that contrary to what many of us have sometimes thought, it almost never comes from the esophagus, stomach or intestine
It also seems that the protein diet can also cause bad breath especially if it is impacted between the teeth, and some research has found a relationship between milk consumption and halitosis, although the latter is not clinically proven.
So you know: in the morning it may be normal for children to smell badly, and this would not worry us. If it persists we will insist on oral hygiene and revisions at the dentist, because dental causes turn out to be frequent, and we will consult the pediatrician with any questions or concerns.
