Nothing ruins a snuggle session with your little one like bad breath. If this is the first time you’ve detected your child’s bad breath, it might not be a cause for concern. At some point, we all struggle with bad breath. However, if the bad breath is persistent, your child may have halitosis, and it might be time to schedule an appointment with our Overland Park, KS, pediatric dentist.
During an appointment with Dr. Matt, your child will feel safe and comfortable as he determines the cause of the halitosis. Then, he will recommend the most effective treatment as well as tips for avoiding bad breath in the future.
Continue reading to learn about some of the most common reasons for bad breath in children.
1. Poor Oral Hygiene
As with adults, children must brush their teeth once in the morning and once in the evening and floss daily. Without this routine, it’s likely that cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues will develop. These can lead to halitosis.
Persistent bad breath may also occur without these additional health issues, simply because food and beverage particles aren’t being removed from the oral surfaces. If you need help with maintaining an oral hygiene routine for your child, check out this blog!
2. Eating Certain Foods
Bad breath can often be linked back to a meal. Has your child recently eaten something that had onions and garlic in it? Did he or she just eat a sugary snack? Thankfully, this bad breath is typically temporary and should resolve after brushing or drinking some water.
3. White Tongue
Take a look at your little one’s tongue. Is it white? This tongue coating is full of odor-causing bacteria and food that can cause smelly breath as they break down. The white color is specifically caused by gunk that is trapped between the papillae, or tiny bumps on the tongue.
4. Dental Decay
Cavity-causing bacteria release odors that could be the cause of your child’s persistent bad breath. Food may also be stuck in the damaged part of the tooth, causing a bad smell.
5. Gum Disease
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is the inflammation or infection of the gum tissue. This occurs because of plaque and tartar buildup along the gumline, which may be the reason for persistent bad breath. Infections in any part of the body typically smell bad, and gum infection is no different.
6. Dry Mouth
Saliva does more for your mouth than you probably realize. It washes away food particles and bacteria and neutralizes acids in the mouth that cause cavities. At night, saliva production slows down, which is why most people experience “morning breath.” Dry mouth, however, doesn’t just occur in the morning, but all throughout the day as well.
Dry mouth, or xerostomia, can lead to bad breath in children because there isn’t enough saliva to remove food particles, bacteria, and acid from the oral surfaces.
7. Allergies or Infections
Allergies or infections in the ears, nose, and/or throat are often linked to bad breath. Mucus and other secretions drip down the throat and onto the tongue when these health issues are present. Then, the bacteria in the mouth feed on them and produce smelly gases.
When the allergies or infections clear up, you should notice an improvement in the smell of your child’s breath.
Overland Park, KS Dentist Treats Bad Breath in Children
Bad breath doesn’t have to ruin quality time with your little one. If you can’t determine the cause of your child’s bad breath or if you know the cause and need treatment, schedule an appointment with Dr. Matt today by calling (913) 685-9990.