Why Does My Child’s Breath Smell Bad?

If your child’s breath has a stinky smell, you may wonder why and if you should be concerned about it. Bad breath, also called halitosis, is a condition everyone gets from time to time, children included. It’s normal for your baby to wake up with an unpleasant breath.

However, if the breath is consistently smelly throughout the day, it could be a cause for genuine concern. As a children’s dentist in Winter Garden, FL, stinky breath is something we deal with frequently. Below, we discuss the common causes of halitosis in children and how to get rid of it.

Common Causes of Bad Breath in Kids

1. Poor Oral Hygiene

If your child fails to brush and floss their teeth effectively enough or frequently enough, food particles can accumulate, forming smelly bacteria. Technically, the human mouth is a safe home for harmful bacteria, which can cause halitosis. The American Dental Association (ADA) reveals that halitosis can happen anytime due to the many bad breath-causing bacteria that grow and lives in the mouth.

2. Tooth Decay, Infections, Or Loose Dental Restorations

Tooth decay or a cavity can be another reason for your child’s bad breath. The cavity-causing bacteria not only damage the tooth but will also produce odors. With cavities, food is more likely to get trapped in the damaged part of the tooth, which makes it harder to brush away, compounding the smell.

Abscessed teeth can also cause halitosis in kids because it is an infection. In addition, if your kid has loose dental restorations, such as a loose dental crown or filling, it can cause bad breath because bacteria will congregate under the restoration.

3. They are Dehydrated

A dry mouth or xerostomia can also cause bad breath in children. Dehydration leads to poor saliva flow, which means that food particles and bacteria aren’t being washed away as they should, which can lead to bad smells.

4. Mouth Breathing

Your kid should breathe through their nose. Persistent mouth breathing can cause bad breath in children because it affects the proper flow of saliva. If your baby is breathing through the mouth for some reason, bad breath should be short-term.

How to Avoid Bad Breath in a Kid

• Teach your child to practice good oral hygiene and ensure they’re brushing their teeth twice a day and flossing at least once daily.
• Ensure your child doesn’t skip breakfast in the morning and keep them hydrated throughout the day to facilitate saliva production.
• Stick with a healthy diet.
• Encourage your kid to chew sugarless gum after snacks and meals.
• Keep up with your kid’s routine dental checkups and cleanings.

Talk To a Pediatric Dentist in Winter Garden, FL

If your child has persistent bad breath along with tooth pain and bleeding gums, schedule an appointment online with a local pediatric dentist in Winter Garden, FL. Your dentist will examine your child’s mouth to get to the root of your kid’s bad breath.

You can also call our office at (407) 554-4222 to discuss your child’s dental needs with Dr. Hany Azer.