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Bad breath in young children

introduction

One speaks of bad breath in a toddler when the child's breath has a strong odor and this persists for a long time. Bad breath occurs much less often in children than in adults. Only about 10 to 15 percent of children have this problem.

The main causes such as poor and irregular oral hygiene and pronounced dry mouth. Nevertheless, the occurrence of bad breath in toddlers should always be clarified in order to rule out serious infections or other diseases.

Causes of Bad Breath in Toddlers

The causes of bad breath in young children can be very diverse. The child's oral flora is usually very balanced. Therefore, if you develop bad breath, you should always have the connection with inflammatory diseases clarified.

However, the two most common causes are poor oral hygiene and a mouth that is too dry. As a result of inadequate dental care, food remains in gaps between teeth, between teeth or on the tongue. The bacteria in the mouth feed on these residues and break them down. During this process, sulfur-containing products are released, which cause bad breath.

In addition, children often drink very little. The lack of fluid means that food residues are more difficult to remove, the oral mucosa dries out and less saliva is produced. This further intensifies the decomposition process and the associated accumulation of bad-smelling metabolic products.

A new bad breath can also be a symptom of an existing illness. The causes are, for example, deficiency inflammation, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract or the paranasal sinuses.The so-called mouth rot, which causes inflammation of the gums and tongue, can also be a possible cause.

Diseases of the internal organs, such as the liver, kidneys or pancreas, are rarer, but always require clarification. A subtle bad breath can also manifest itself as a result of a food intolerance, such as an intolerance to lactose or good things. A foreign body in the nose can also lead to bad breath in the child due to increased mouth breathing and the associated dry mouth.

Read on under: What are the causes of bad breath?

Bad breath when teething

When the teeth erupt in young children, the gums are heavily stressed. In addition to redness, pain and easily inflammatory changes to the gums, a slight bad breath can also manifest itself.

Small inflammatory spots provide the bacteria in the oral flora with a portal of entry into the mucous membranes, in which they can multiply and lead to infections. In addition, food components can also be deposited here, which are broken down by the bacteria. The resulting products create the strong smell.

Find out more at: Teething in the baby

Bad breath despite brushing your teeth

Bad breath in young children can develop despite adequate, thorough and regular oral hygiene. This is because, despite brushing your teeth, you cannot reach all of the leftover food that has been deposited somewhere between the teeth. In addition, other causes can also be responsible for bad breath. These include, for example, organic disorders or inflammatory changes in the mouth area. Adequate dental hygiene can counteract bad breath, but not prevent it entirely.

Also read: Dental care in the baby

Bad breath after sleeping

In children, bad breath is particularly common after sleeping. This can mainly be due to the lack of oral hygiene, as the leftovers can easily be deposited and are broken down by the bacteria while you sleep. However, bad breath can also occur if you clean and care for your teeth regularly and thoroughly.

The reason for this is that the child's body is in a resting phase during the sheep and the physical processing processes are slowed down. This is why less saliva is released from the salivary glands during sleep, since normally there is no food available for direct digestion. Due to the dry mouth, the bacteria can spread well in the mouth and trigger the strong, putrid smell through their metabolic products.

In addition, bad breath after sleeping can also have an organic cause. Some children suffer from so-called reflux, i.e. the backflow of stomach acid through the esophagus into the mouth. This reflux is also intensified during sleep and can trigger the foul, pungent odor when you wake up.

also read: What to do against bad breath in the morning

Other symptoms of bad breath

Bad breath in young children can be accompanied by many different symptoms.

If it occurs as a result of reduced saliva production, it can also lead to dry, chapped and chapped lips, as well as difficulty swallowing.
Inadequate dental hygiene, damage to the gums and tooth bed occurs and can lead to serious inflammation or tooth decay.
If the bad breath is the result of an infection of the upper respiratory tract or the tonsils, general symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue and poor appetite often occur. In addition, swallowing difficulties, hoarseness, loss of voice and swelling of lymph nodes can occur.
If there are also organic disorders, the accompanying symptoms can vary widely. In the context of diabetes, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and increased urination can occur.
In the case of liver disease, increasing liver values, itching, yellowish discoloration of the skin or upper abdominal complaints can manifest themselves.

Bad breath and fever

Bad breath in the child in combination with a fever is in most cases a sign of an inflammatory process. Fever can occur in the context of acute tonsillitis, inflammation of the gums or inflammation of the internal organs such as the liver or kidneys. Fever itself is a relatively unspecific symptom and can indicate many different causes. If you cannot find a visible, triggering source of infection with a fever and bad breath, or if the child is not teething, then you should consult a doctor for further clarification.

Tonsillitis and bad breath

With tonsillitis in children, one often finds a foul-smelling, somewhat putrid smell from the mouth as an accompanying symptom.
A tonsillitis is usually the result of a viral or bacterial infection. The pathogens are deposited on the tonsils and lead to local swelling, infiltration, reddening and severe sore throats. The metabolism carried out by the pathogens creates waste products that cause the putrid, foul smelling odor.

In the case of children in particular, tonsillitis is very painful and they often refuse oral hygiene and adequate intake of fluids. This further promotes the increase in bad breath.

Find out more at: Tonsillitis

Bad breath and cough

Bad breath in the child associated with coughing may indicate an inflammatory reaction or upper respiratory infection is present. Usually this happens relatively often in children. You should ensure that you drink sufficient quantities to counteract the dry mouth and wash away any bacteria or viruses that may be causing it.

Bad breath and cough can also be an indication of the presence of gastric acid reflux. If the cough subsides quickly, you can initially assume a slight infection. If it lasts longer, you should consider further clarification. Acute coughing in combination with bad breath should always make you think of a possible foreign body within the airways.

Bad breath when the tongue is coated

Many children complain of a furry and coated tongue that is accompanied by changes in taste, especially in the morning hours after waking up. A coated tongue can occur as a result of recurring infections, over-acidity or poor hygiene. The coating on the tongue attracts the bacteria of the oral flora and offers them a good nutrient medium for growth. The products produced by the metabolism increase the bad breath and keep it going.

You might also be interested in: Remove tongue coating

Bad breath of acetone

The halitosis in children can be described as severe, foul smelling, putrid or acetone-like. If a child smells acetone, they should always think of a more serious, underlying condition. The acetone odor is often a sign of the onset of diabetes and, in addition to fatigue and nausea, is often one of the key symptoms in children. It is described as putrid and sweet, similar to the smell of fermenting apples.

Also find out about. How do you recognize diabetes?

treatment

There are many different options available for treating bad breath in young children. First, the cause must be clarified. If there is an organic cause, further investigations must be sought and a special treatment concept developed. The basis of these therapies is always the elimination of the underlying disease.

The most important measure for effective treatment of bad breath is adequate oral hygiene. Children should brush their teeth three times a day to remove any food residue and to keep their mouth fresh. In addition, care should be taken to drink sufficient quantities so that the mucous membranes in the mouth area do not dry out and the saliva production does not decrease.

In addition, herbal mouthwashes with added herbs can be used to cleanse the mouth and create a fresh scent. A change in diet can also be helpful, as foods such as apples, nettle tea or even sage provide fresh breath and drive away the unpleasant smell.

You might also be interested in: Home remedies for bad breath

homeopathy

Homeopathic preparations can also be used to treat bad breath in children. These include, for example, sodium chloratum, Mercurius solubilis or potassium phosphoricum. You can give the children a globule twice a day.

These remedies have a calming effect, relieve stress and thus the drying out of the oral mucous membranes and can be used particularly well on children who have severe dry mouths in the morning. The increased saliva production at rest counteracts the decomposition process of the bacteria.

diagnosis

The diagnosis of bad breath in children is largely based on an extensive physical examination and above all a thorough inspection of the oral cavity. The doctor tries to rule out possible triggers or to limit them further by asking many questions, for example when the bad breath first appeared, how long it has lasted and which accompanying symptoms have been noticed.

If inflammatory areas are visible in the oral cavity, a smear can be taken. If a bacterial infection of the tonsils is suspected, a rapid streptococcal test can be performed. If no external causes can be found, a blood sample is taken for further diagnostics and, if necessary, further examinations for organic clarification.

Duration

The duration of bad breath in children cannot generally be stated. It depends on the underlying disease. In the case of inflammation or infection, the bad breath disappears almost at the same time as the infection and usually does not last more than a few days.

In the case of bad breath due to poor dental hygiene or a pronounced dry mouth, the bad breath will persist until the cause has been eliminated. The same applies to bad breath due to an organic problem. Here it is even more present with increasing severity of the disease.