Ardas Family Dental

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Bad Breath in Children

As a child-friendly practice, we at Ardas Family Dental often help children struggling with bad breath. Usually, this only requires them to learn proper oral hygiene, which includes the need to brush their tongues, as well as their teeth. Sometimes, however, there may be other factors contributing to halitosis which parents need to know about.


Brushing is helpful because bad breath is often caused by bacterial infections. But the smell may not just be coming from tooth decay or bacteria hiding on an unbrushed tongue. It may also be the result of mouth sores, inflamed tonsils, or drip from the sinus. A foreign object stuck in a child’s nose will also cause sinus drip, which smells bad on its own and feeds bacteria.


Bacteria especially thrives in a dry mouth, where there is no saliva to wash it away. Some medications, including ones used for psychiatric disorders such as ADHD and anxiety, cause dry mouth as a side effect. Children who breathe through their mouths rapidly get dehydrated, and oftentimes children simply don’t remember to drink while engaged in physical play. Keeping hydrated is important and breathing problems need to be resolved, but chewing sugar-free gum is an alternate means of stimulating saliva.


Dr. Roopi Kattaura operates Ardas Family Dental at 10233 S Parker Rd, Suite 205, Parker, Colorado. To schedule an appointment, call 720-459-8420 or visit ArdasFamilyDental.com and fill out a contact sheet.

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