I need tips for my 4 year old's bad breath?

Question

I BRUCH HIS TEETH, ETC
MATURE ANSWERS PLEASE THANKS

Answer 1

Bad breath is usually a sign of another problem. If you are brushing and rinsing after brushing, I would suggest taking your son to the doctor. I can tell when my kids are comming down with something, ie, ear infection, strep throat, sinus infection, ect... by the way their breath smells.

If this is a constant problem, and he physcally checks out ok, he may need to drink more water.

Please read this article:

Healthy children (and adults, too!) do sometimes have bad breath. If the smell disappears after brushing his teeth or rinsing his mouth, it's normal. Also, keep in mind that what seems like bad breath to you may not be offensive to others.

That said, normal bacteria living in the mouth and interacting with leftover food particles could cause true breath odour in a healthy child. The food particles can be between the teeth, at the gum line, on the tongue, or on the surface of the tonsils at the back of your child's throat.

Bacteria that react to saliva also can cause bad breath, especially if left undisturbed in the mouth for a period of time. This is one reason we all have "morning breath." After a long night's sleep, the reaction between the substances in our mouth has caused an odour, which remains until we brush or rinse it away. Eating and drinking can help cleanse the offending substances from the mouth, so it may help to give your toddler more frequent drinks of water and snacks such as fruit and sugar-free rusks or crackers.

If your son sucks his thumb, uses a pacifier, or sucks or chews on a blanket, this may be why he has bad breath. The object may have an odour from repeated exposure to saliva and oral bacteria. It also may have other residue on it, such as old food. Make sure he washes his hands frequently with soap if he's a thumb-sucker. If he uses a dummy, sterilise it frequently, either by running it through the dishwasher or dropping it in boiling water. Likewise, wash 'security blankets' or 'cuddlies' frequently. Of course, you can also encourage him to stop the sucking habit, but this is easier said than done.

Poor dental hygiene with tartar build-up, gingivitis, or a dental abscess could also cause bad breath. Your toddler may be intimidated by a trip to the dentist so it may be easier to ask your doctor to inspect his teeth and gums.

The first thing the doctor will probably check is your toddler's nose, to see whether your child has a foreign body, such as a piece of food or small toy, lodged in one of his nostrils. The only symptom may be breath odour or persistent nasal discharge. A sinus infection or respiratory infection such as bronchiolitis can also cause bad breath.

Less commonly, an infection of the back of the throat can also cause foul-smelling breath. The odour may be caused by inflammation of the pharynx (pharyngitis) or of the tonsils (tonsillitis). Even if the tonsils aren't inflamed, they may have food and debris trapped in their many crevices. Your child's doctor can check for this debris, which is usually white, during a throat exam. If this is the problem, it will resolve itself once the debris is removed.

Lastly, some children with gastroesophageal reflux, or regurgitation of their food, have a foul breath odour. However, if this were the culprit your toddler would almost certainly be experiencing other symptoms, such as discomfort after eating.

Answer 2

I would suggest a better toothpaste, but he has to use kids', doesn't he?

Generally bad breath can be caused by foods and drinks, such as garlic, onions, cheese, orange juice, and soda, and by bad brushing. Try banishing these foods for a few days and see if it helps banish the bad breath!

I understand how hard it must be, but you should try getting him to brush his tongue and maybe even his cheeks (or if you do it, that's fine), as bacteria often grows there to cause bad breath.

If nothing seems to be helping, take a trip to the dentist. Often uncontrollable bad breath can be a sign of a medical problem.

Here's a good site: http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/teeth/bad_breath.html

Answer 3

If your following good hygiene habits than most likely an infection is involved. Take your child in to see a doctor, ask if there's signs of an ear infection. I'm not sure why, but when my lil sis had ear infections, her breath stank really bad. She never displayed any other symptoms (like tugging her ears or fever, etc.). My sis is 21 now, with a baby of her own, and she has added this info to her "internal parental library" of possible ear infection detection.

Answer 4

+ Clean his teeth morning and night. Floss between them once a day
+ If you can, brush his tongue once a day, either with a soft toothbrush or with a specially designed "tongue brush"
+ Have his teeth checked by a dentist and any plaque removed
+ Cut down on any fatty food/junk food he may be eating, especially late in the day not long before he goes to sleep.
+ If he has a nap then try to make sure he hasn't had anything to eat for at least 30 mins before he goes to sleep
+ After eating get him to drink some water and if possible swill it around his mouth before swallowing

NOTE: some mouthwashes on the market contain alcohol or alcohol-based compounds as a disinfectant (I know Listerine used to, not sure if it still does). My dentist informed me that such mouth washes are linked to an increased risk of mouth cancer. If you want to get your child to use a mouthwash then use one approved by your dentist, such as Corsodyl.

If the breath smells sickly sweet like lemon drops (or what we in the UK used to call "acid drops" - a sweet not a drug!) then this could be the sign of an underlying illness such as diabetes. A more rancid smell, particularly if his urine also smells unpleasant may be a sign of kidney disease or a chronic infection.

Answer 5

Brush his teeth in the morning at just before he goes to bed and after every meal, and give him chewable mints to chew throughout the day [not too strong]. Also, get a clean toothbrush, get it moist, then put it in his mouth [his mouth open, obviously] and tell him to breathe 4 times through his mouth, then bring it out and smell it to see whether it still smells.
Get him to drink lots of water because bad breath can be related to kidneys and digestive system.
3 times a day, brush your son's tongue gently from the back to the front to get rid of germs.

Answer 6

It is very unusual to have bad breath at age 4. Not unless proper teeth hygiene hasn't been followed. Sounds like you may have to get him/her to a dentist. "Usually" bad breath is caused by something going on with the teeth and/or gums.

Answer 7

I have the same problem with my 5 year old. I asked his dentist what it could be from being I pay extra attention to his teeth. She said usually with bad breath of a young child could indicate sinus infection or a gastrial problem.

Answer 8

Does your 4 year old have recurrent throat infections? Children that sick frequently with throat infections can have bad breath caused by bacteria being harbored in their tonsils and adenoids. I would suggest taking him/her to your pediatrician.

If the above doesn't apply to your child, may be a trip to his/hers pediatric dentist is needed. Unhealthy teeth can also cause halitosis. Good Luck

Answer 9

I would suggest you discuss it with your Dr. or Dentist. It very well could just be a genetic problem, but all other health problems should be ruled out first. Sometimes it has to do with the esophagus either not closing properly or food getting stuck in the esophagus. Unfortunately, if it is simply a genetic problem, there really isn't much one can do other than what you have done.

Answer 10

amazingly enough milk can cover up bad breath

is the child able to handle sucking on the larger life saver mints or chewing a bit of gum?

if none of these work i would definitely take him to see a dentist---there could be a reason for this odor such as bacteria trapped in the mouth (that a common toothbrush can't clean), food trapped in over sized tonsil pockets (causes really bad stink) or something else

hope this helps you :)