Why Do Kids Suffer From Bad Breath?

• Poor oral hygiene:

This is one of the most common causes of bad breath in children. If there is plaque and leftover food debris that isn’t removed (this can be done by proper flossing and brushing) the bacteria in the mouth would have food to feed on, leading to volatile Sulphur compounds in the mouth resulting in bad smell.

• Consumption of pungent foods:

By consuming foods that have a strong odour can also cause smelly breath. Since digestion starts from the first bite of food, so whatever your kid eats, starts to breakdown in their mouth right from the time it enters their mouth, this can cause an unpleasant smell.

Foods like garlic and onions that produce sulphur are the main villains that are reasonable for this. The compounds take up massive space in your kid’s mouth and are then absorbed into the bloodstream. Several hours after having your meals, the smell from the compounds will release when your child exhales or speaks. Luckily, this is temporary and it has nothing to worry about but brushing the teeth won’t get rid of it, either.

• Coating/layer on the tongue

 Does your child have a white/yellow tongue and suffer from bad breath? Another most common reason why toddlers, kids and teens suffer from bad breath. Odor-causing bacteria, food and decomposing skin cells often get stuck on the back third of the tongue. As you can imagine (let’s hope you haven’t had the experience) these things don’t smell good.

 The layer that is usually formed on the tongue is from all of the gunk trapped in the between the tiny bumps on the tongue, known as papillae. It is advisable to clean the tongue whenever they clean their teeth.

Gum disease:

Gum disease refers to inflammation or infection of the gum tissue that supports the teeth. While children aren’t likely to develop periodontitis at this early age, the advanced form of gum disease, they do commonly get the less severe type called gingivitis.
Gingivitis, namely occurs when soft plaque and tartar build up around the teeth and under the gum line. Then the bacteria and toxins in the plaque infect the gums, causing inflammation and persisting bad breath that one can’t get rid of, even after brushing the teeth. Infections don’t smell good in general, and gum disease is no exception to that.

Not producing enough saliva:

Saliva is really important for one’s oral health. Spit helps to wash away any unwanted food debris and bacteria in the mouth. It also neutralizes cavity-causing acids. When saliva is flowing, bad breath usually doesn’t turn up.

But then again, check with your family doctors, if the problem exceeds a certain limit.

Having large tonsils:

Children with a comparatively larger tonsil may find their breath smells bad. Tonsils are like a magnet for food, bacteria and nasal secretions to collect around. Tonsil stones that are also called tonsilloliths, can also be found in the pits and emit a bad odour as they decompose.

Dental problems:

A tooth decay or cavity can also be another reason for your child’s halitosis. The cavity-causing bacteria affect the breath already, to add onto that, the food also usually gets stuck in the damaged portion of the tooth, making it harder to brush away and eradicate, this leads to the bad smell.  There are other issues like mouth sores and other infections in one’s mouth that can cause halitosis.

Why Do Children Catch Cavities ? – Must Read

• Probability of allergies or infections in the ears, nose or throat:

Bad smell in the oral cavity can also be caused due to bacterial infections. Kids being infected by sinus infection, prep throat, etc is also linked to bad breath. The bacteria in the mouth feasts on the mucus and secretions that drip down the throat and tongue when having the sickness. This leads to the bad odour from the child’s mouth.  Smelly breath can also be caused by a runny nose, congestion and fever. If it really bothers you, or if the symptom hasn’t stopped for a long while, visit your paediatrician to confirm the diagnosis, and get it treated.

• Breathing from the mouth:

A few studies done in this field have found a correlation between mouth breathing and smelly breath in children. Researchers have posited that the mouth becomes dry because it is open during the whole night. This leads to bad breath in the morning. Mouth breathing is usually temporary, it happens when the child has nasal congestion, or if it is a habit.

• Food in mouth:

Food and bacteria can get trapped underneath the unfilled, empty/loose tooth gaps leading to the bad breath. Thus, it is advisable to get rid of it.

• Health conditions:

A few health conditions like diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux, thrush and, in some rare situations, kidney and liver issues, can also add to the bad breath in little ones. Even though bad breath is not that serious, if it does not stop, just bring it up while conversing with your paediatrician.