Bad breath in a child: reasons why it smells bad (Dr. Komarovsky)

Parents pay attention to any change in the behavior and health of their children. Smell from a child's mouth After sleep and during the day also puzzles them. This symptom can indicate a health problem, so the concerns of dad and mom are sometimes justified.

Why do babies have bad breath?

Halitosis Is the medical name for halitosis. In its appearance, bacteria are to blame, which give off an unpleasant odor during the processing of protein foods. Regardless of age, this process takes place in the oral cavity. The cleavage process produces compounds containing sulfur. They are the ones who give off the stench.

Saliva can neutralize bad breath. But sometimes even a one-year-old child produces a small amount of saliva or too many bacteria that give off a special scent.

The following causes of bad breath in a child are known:

• increased sweating due to the fact that the baby moves a lot: his mouth dries up and an unpleasant "aroma" appears;
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• chronic disease of the bronchopulmonary system;
• caries or gum disease;
• dry air in the room where the child is, that is, the room is very rarely ventilated or not ventilated at all.

In most cases, dental diseases are the main cause of bad odor. To determine, you just need to carefully examine the baby's teeth. It is important to pay attention to swelling of the gums, presence of flux, caries at the initial stage. The stench disappears after the dental problems are corrected.

It is important to pay attention to exactly how the child smells bad:

1. Smell of ammonia may occur due to metabolic disorders, a large amount of proteins, or the presence of diseases with the gums. Sometimes this aroma appears due to the use of a large number of drugs. After completing the course of treatment, the smell is eliminated on its own.
2. The smell of acetone in the morning - a rather dangerous symptom. It may indicate the presence of diabetes mellitus or gallbladder disease. Sometimes this symptom occurs with severe liver disease or depletion of the body.
3. Acrid smell. The cause may be dysbiosis. It often occurs after the use of antibiotics. The recovery process is lengthy. It is necessary to take special dietary supplements.
4. The smell of pus. Most often indicates diseases of the nasopharynx. A purulent stench is formed due to the presence of purulent plugs and plaque on the tonsils. Such phenomena are observed with pharyngitis, sore throat, sinusitis, nasal congestion and other conditions.
5. Chemical smell. Often occurs due to the use of drugs.
6. Putrid stench. A strong rotten smell appears in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
7. Sweet smell. Unpleasant sweetish aftertaste and the scent often indicates the presence of diabetes mellitus. In the case of children, this disease is most likely hereditary. The development of type 1 diabetes is accompanied by a violation of the concentration of glucose in the body. Its synthesis, production is disrupted, which causes a sweet aroma.

Often the reason why the baby stinks from the mouth may be non-observance of hygiene rules, the use of certain types of products. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract as the root cause occur during the intensive growth of the child. They mainly occur between the ages of 4 and 7, but recur in adolescents.

Dental diseases

The parent can independently examine the teeth beforehand and determine the presence of damage to the tooth enamel or gums.

In the presence of caries, food begins to remain in the damaged tooth, as a result of which the decay process occurs. If external manifestations are not visible, then the presence of periodontitis or other gum disease.

The baby may have a strange odor during teething. They become red and swollen. You need to see a doctor for him to make effective appointments.

Which doctor to contact

If your child has a bad breath, you should contact your pediatrician. The reasons can be completely banal. For example, drinking a small amount of water if the baby takes a lot of sweets or other unhealthy foods. If the root cause is eliminated, the investigation will go away on its own.

It is also advisable that the pediatrician listens to the bronchi and lungs. If there is an inflammatory process or the presence of a chronic disease, it is advisable to go through an examination with an ENT to identify sinusitis, runny nose and other breathing problems.

You need to go through a dental check-up. He will tell you if there is a problem in the mouth, gums or teeth. The doctor will also help in the presence of an inflammatory process in the gums, when the teeth are just beginning to erupt.

The need to visit a gastroenterologist arises when you suspect problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Treatment and recommendations

Sometimes it is enough to pay more attention to the hygienic procedures of your baby, to ventilate the room more often.

The treatment prescribed by the doctor should be carried out to the end, that is, the entire course, and not only until the unpleasant symptom is completely eliminated.

Medicines should be used only under the supervision of a physician. It is forbidden to do this on your own. For children from 6 years old, you can buy conditioners that will eliminate the unpleasant "odor".

It is necessary to ensure that there is constantly fresh air in the room. To do this, airing should be done several times a day.

If the cause of the odor is a problem in the nasopharynx, then in the absence of contraindications, rinsing the nasopharynx with saline and heating with salt can be used.

If the doctor did not notice health problems, then the unpleasant symptom can be eliminated if the following manipulations are performed:

1. A small child in the period from the appearance of the first tooth to 3 years old should brush their teeth together with their parents.
2. Refuse to eat sweets. Children are very fond of various goodies, but they still do not know how to limit themselves and do not understand why this is needed. You can replace sugar with honey. Honey not only does not harm the body, but contains a large amount of trace elements and vitamins.
3. You can increase the amount of saliva by eating an orange or apple. But remember to rinse fruits and vegetables well before eating.
4. Give your baby enough water to drink.
5. Vitamin intake. You need to take a vitamin complex twice a year. The best pediatrician will advise.
6. Strengthening immunity. In order for a baby to rarely have colds, it is necessary to pay attention to his immunity.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

Komarovsky claims that odor in the mouth at the age of 2 years can be caused by drying out in the nasopharynx.

The doctor says that especially often, such symptoms can appear after eating garlic or onions.

But sometimes the reason can be hidden in serious diseases in the body. In any case, it is necessary to initially go to the doctor in order to eliminate suspicions or confirm them and start treatment on time in order to avoid complications.

In the video, Dr. Komarovsky talks in detail about the smell of a child's mouth: