Bad Breath in Babies and Toddlers
If your baby or toddler has had bad breath lately, not to worry. There are plenty of things you can do in order to reduce the risk of bad breath for your little one, and there are ways to tell if your baby’s bad breath is an indication of a more serious condition.
One of the main reasons that babies and toddlers have bad breath is saliva production. During the day when the child is awake, he or she may have a little more control of over the muscles of the mouth. However, at night, children do not regulate the saliva content in the mouth, and the mouth can become extremely dry when saliva is lost. This can result in ‘morning breath’ when your child wakes up, so you should make sure that he or she is brushing thoroughly with a kid-friendly toothbrush. Thumb sucking has the same effect for children, so try to teach your children not to suck their fingers as early as you can-a pacifier or teething ring can serve as ideal temporary options.
If you are brushing your toddler’s teeth daily, and are having him or her rinse with a kid-friendly mouthwash after every brush, you should see an improvement in your little one’s breath soon. However, if the problem persists, it may be an indication that your child may have a more serious condition. For instance, if your baby’s breath smells like baked bread, it can be a sign of typhoid fever, and if your toddler’s breath smells like celery, it could be an indication of Aasthouse urine disease. Garlicky breath could be a sign of arsenic or thallium poisoning, so be sure to pay special attention to the actual scent of your child’s breath to determine the right treatment options.
If you think that you have to treat your child further due to bad breath symptoms, you can start by giving your child plenty of pure fluids to drink every day. Water and natural juices are a good way to detoxify the body, and foods with a lot of preservatives should be eliminated from your child’s diet in order to make sure that impurities and poisons are moved from the body. You should also talk to your child’s doctor about treatment options and dietary changes that may be best for your child.