My 2 year old daughter's breath smells horrible when she gets up, brushing don't help? What else can be done?!

Question

I brush her teeth and tongue, and she has no cavities, but her breath smells awful when she first gets up, and often times throughout the day. She is 2.5 years old. She has been to the dentist and he has suggested brushing more often, but it didn't help. Has anyone else had this problem?

Answer 1

the fundamental cause of bad breath for most people is the whitish coating that covers the surface of the posterior portion of their tongue. More accurately, bad breath is caused by the bacteria that live in this coating. (The second most common fundamental cause of bad breath is bacteria that live and accumulate elsewhere in a person's mouth.)

In most cases bad breath (halitosis) is caused by the presence of oral bacteria. There can be, however, other factors that influence the odor of one's breath and, in fact, the quality of a person's breath will ultimately depend on a number of different variables.

Even if you don't have much of a problem with bad breath you have probably noticed that your breath is least pleasant in the morning when you first wake up. This is because during the night a person's mouth will become dry, due to the human body's natural tendency to reduce salivary flow when a person sleeps. This same souring effect is sometimes noticed by teachers, lawyers, and anyone else whose mouth has become dry after having to speak for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, people who breathe through their mouth, are fasting, or else are under stress can find that they have comparatively dry mouths and therefore persistent problems with breath odors.

One explanation for this is that the moisture found in our mouth helps to cleanse it. The presence of oral fluids encourages us to swallow. With each swallow we take we wash away bacteria, as well as the food and debris on which they feed. This same moisture also dilutes and washes away the waste products that oral bacteria produce.

Another factor is that saliva should be considered to be a special form of mouth moisture. It's the body's natural mouth rinse. Beyond the washing and diluting effect that any oral moisture can provide, saliva has the added benefit that it contains compounds that kill oral bacteria and buffer their waste products. So, when our mouth becomes dry all of the benefits that all types of oral moisture can produce are reduced. The net result is that the conditions for bacterial growth are enhanced while the neutralization of bacterial waste products is lessened.

For the majority of people (85 to 90% of those who have bad breath [halitosis]), the single most frequent cause of their breath odor problem is associated with bacteria that live in their mouth. Bacteria, just like humans, go through their lives consuming foods and excreting wastes. The waste products produced by some oral bacteria are sulfur compounds and it is this type of odoriferous waste product that usually lies at the root of a person's breath problems.

Have you ever smelled a rotten egg? The stench associated with rotten eggs is caused by the sulfur compound hydrogen sulfide. The stinky smell emanating from feed lots and barnyards is one produced by the sulfur compound methyl mercaptan. The odor you associate with the ocean is in part due to the presence of dimethyl sulfide. And each of these sulfur compounds is also excreted as a waste product by the bacteria that live in our mouths.

Where do the bacteria that cause bad breath live?
For most of us the bacteria that cause our bad breath probably live on the surface of our tongue. There can be, however, other locations (which are typically secondary in nature) that harbor these culprit bacteria as well.

How do you cure bad breath?
Since the most common cause of bad breath (halitosis) is the odorous waste product (volatile sulfur compounds) created by anaerobic oral bacteria, the most important step a person can take toward improving the quality of their breath is to clean their mouth in a manner which helps to:

Minimize the amount of food available for these bacteria.
Minimize the total number of these bacteria that exist.
Minimize the availability of the types of environments in which these bacteria prefer to live.
Make any environment in which these bacteria do live less hospitable.

Minimizing the food supply for bacteria that cause bad breath.
The volatile sulfur compounds that cause bad breath are created as a waste product by anaerobic oral bacteria when they digest proteins. This would imply that those persons who maintain a vegetarian diet (a diet composed mostly of fruits and vegetables) will most likely have fewer chronic breath problems than those people who have diets that are high in protein rich foods such as meat.

It is important for a person to clean their mouth thoroughly after eating, and especially after eating foods that are high in protein content. This is because even after we have finished a meal minute particles of food still remain in our mouth. Much of this food debris ends up lodged between our teeth and incorporated into the coating found on the posterior part of our tongue. Since these are precisely the same locations in which the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath live, if a person does not clean their mouth thoroughly a food supply is provided for these bacteria over an extended period of time.

Bad breath problems can often be cured by cleaning your tongue more thoroughly.
There are various methods you can use to clean the posterior portion of your tongue. Each of these techniques however has the same goal, to scrape away the bacteria and debris that have accumulated on your tongue's surface.

No matter which method of tongue cleaning you choose to use you should try to clean as far back on your tongue as possible. Don't be surprised if you find you have an active gag reflex. Gagging is a natural reaction, but with time this reflex should diminish.

Your toothbrush or a specialized tongue brush can be used to clean your tongue. To do so, start as far back as possible and then make brush strokes outward, toward the front of your mouth. You need to use some pressure but of course not enough to cause irritation to your tongue.

Drink plenty of water.
Rinse your mouth with water often.
Stimulate your mouth's flow of saliva.
Clean your mouth well, especially after eating foods high in protein content.

Answer 2

My 2 Year Olds Breath Stinks

Answer 3

Your daughter is more than likely a mouth breather. Her mouth is probably getting very dry thru-out the night and also in the day if she is a mouth breather, this causes bad breath.

Medication can cause dry mouth.

Is she congested? Have sinus/allergy problems? All of these play a factor.

Pay attention during nap time, does she sleep with her mouth open?

Good Luck, my son's the same way.

Answer 4

They have mouthwash for kids now I think. But you have to train her not to swallow it. But it's probably just bacteria that grows in everyone's mouth overnight. Look at everything she's eating and start experimenting but changing a few things, taking somethings out of her diet, putting somethings in, until you figure out what's making the difference.

Either than or hang some garlic around her neck. It will make her breath smell sweet by comparison.

Answer 5

2 year daughterbreath smells horrible brushing

Answer 6

sounds like halotosis....look into her diet as bad breath derives from the stomahc is most cases not the mouth.....figure out what you are feeding her that does not agree with her stomach and stop giving it to her.....a 2.5 year old still has a relatively new digestive system and should not be given spicey foods of any kind......

Answer 7

Well, it could also be her sinuses are draining and causing the bad breath. You might call her pediatrician's office and voice your concerns. Bad breath is a symptom of various medical conditions - not just dental ones.

Answer 8

it is sinuses. she has sinus infection, i know this because i watch a little girl who is 2 1/2. too and every morning she brings her i rock her i about gag from the smell of her breath. she works in a Drs. office and the Dr. told her it was sinuses.. take her to the Dr. and tell him and see if he can clear up her sinuses..

Answer 9

Does she have a cold or allergies? Sometimes this can make their breath smell.

Otherwise, maybe ask the pediatrician next time you're there?

Answer 10

This could be a bigger problem than just dental hygiene. Take her to the pediatrician for a complete check up. She could be dealing with a stomach ailment or intestinal problem. Could be her sinuses!

Answer 11

My son does too. I use Crest for Kids and it helps a little. Also, avoid garlic with them. They don't drink enough water to flush it out of their systems fast enough. I also started brushing his teeth before naps too.