If you are worrying your head out because your toddler has bad breath, do note that you’re not alone. Bad breath, or the condition called halitosis, is very common among toddlers. It is caused by a host of factors and can be addressed by taking certain steps. While some factors are not serious and can be addressed at home, for others you might need to see a child specialist. Today, you can go for a paediatrician doctor online consultation from your home to avoid COVID-19 infection risks.
Here are some common causes of toddler bad breath –
Oral causes
Our mouth is full of bacteria. According to doctors bad breath is the result of bacterial metabolism which creates products like sulphur and volatile fatty acids, along with some chemicals like putrescine and cadaverine. The tongue is the key source of bacteria in our mouth. And heavily coated tongues are particularly bacteria friendly. However, the bacterial germs are also present in the periodontal area between the teeth and gums.
How to fix it
Adults brush or scrape their tongue to reduce bad breath. Mouthwashes that contain zinc also reduce bad breath in adults. However, these are not safe procedures for toddlers. Hence, the best solution is to find out the best children’s doctor in your locality and have them examine your toddler.
Seeing a paediatrician early and for regular checkups will help in preventing poor dental health and tooth decay. It is important to know that both of these contribute to bad breath among toddlers. If you are looking for an online child specialist doctor, book an appointment on DocGenie’s platform for proper treatment and fast cure.
Nasal causes
Chronic sinusitis is another reason for bad breath in toddlers. These children almost always show symptoms like prolonged runny nose, cough, nasal obstruction and facial pain.
Moreover, any foreign object, a bead or food particle, stuck up your toddler’s nose, can also cause bad breath. In such cases, the toddler will have foul-smelling and green, discharge from the nose. It could happen in one of the nostrils. This is a serious issue which might get worse fast. Seek medical help immediately from the best children’s doctor in your area.
How to fix it
In case, of the foreign object in your child’s nose, call a paediatrician immediately. However, if it gets late and start showing symptoms of bad breath and green discharge, it might be difficult to remove the object at home. A clinic visit will be necessary in that case.
At an initial stage of sinusitis, you can address it by making your toddler drink lots of fluid and blowing the nose. However, if these methods fail, see your child’s doctor. In order to treat chronic sinusitis, the doctor might suggest an antibiotic. If you are looking for an online paediatric doctor for your child, you can book an online consultation with a child specialist on DocGenie app.
Gastrointestinal (GI) causes of bad breath
Though rare, GI causes of bad breath in toddlers cannot be totally ruled out, especially if the child has GI complaints like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or heartburn. In such a case gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the probable cause. It makes stomach acid travel up the esophagus, into the throat or mouth, or out the mouth.
A bacterial infection that infects the stomach is another cause of bad breath. This is accompanied with other GI symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or burping. Though common among older children and adults, this type of infection afflicts toddlers as well.
How to fix it
Gastrointestinal (GI) causes of bad breath must be addressed by doctors only. Doctors prescribe tests to confirm GERD is the cause of the problem. Medications are often prescribed to treat this type of condition.
If your child has frequent or chronic GI symptoms along with bad breath, you can have a paediatrician doctor online consultation on Docgenie.
Other causes
It is important to know that toddlers who breathe through their mouth while sleeping are prone to have bad breath. Toddlers can breathe through their mouth because of an allergy-induced nasal congestion or due to large adenoids that block their airway. Mouth breathing dries up the oral mucosa, decreases saliva flow and releases foul-smelling bacteria in the mouth. The problem gets worse for toddlers drinking anything other than water from a bottle during the night.
How to fix it
Brushing the teeth before going to bed, and not drinking anything other than water or breast milk (if the toddler is still breastfeeding) until morning will help address the issue.
However, if your baby is constantly mouth breathing, seek help from the best children’s doctor in your area. Remember! Mouth breathing can have serious underlying causes which require medical attention. Your child’s doctor will do necessary tests to rule out the possibility of any serious cause.
If you’re worried about your child’s bad breath, highly experienced paediatricians on DocGenie can address your concerns by treating the underlying conditions, if any.
Also read: Things to Consider before choosing the Right Pediatrician
DocGenie is an online telemedicine platform that provides you with quality healthcare from the comfort of your own space. On DocGenie, you can book an online consultation with highly qualified doctors as well as book lab tests for home collection.