How to Cure Bad Breath: Children and Hygiene
Bad breath is one of the most embarrassing and humiliating conditions in life today, one that creates very awkward social situations at work, at home, and in school. Children in particular are especially vulnerable to the social difficulties that come with bad breath; after all, no one wants to be friends with a child whose mouth has an unpleasant odor. This bad breath – or halitosis – can make a kid’s school experience miserable, so it is important to figure out ways to treat or cure this problem right away. This article will discuss ways to treat bad breath in children, and will also explore things (such as bacteria) that cause bad breath in the first place.
What is Halitosis?
Halitosis is the scientific name for bad breath, and generally describes a chronic condition in which unpleasant odors (to put it nicely) come from someone’s mouth, tongue, and teeth. This is different than having morning breath, or breath that is bad because you ate something in particular. Rather, halitosis is a problem that occurs because of dental problems or poor hygiene. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 25% of the population will suffer from halitosis at some point, and it is the third most popular reason why people seek dental attention. As you can see, bad breath is a prevalent problem.
The main cause of bad breath is the presence of bacteria in the mouth. While many parts of your mouth can cause a nasty odor, the most common source of oral halitosis is the tongue. Your tongue’s surface is a great host for bacteria – and it is bacteria that primarily causes bad breath in your child. Because the tongue holds a lot of bacteria, and because many children do not adequately cleanse its surface, it is important to speak with your child about the need to adequately clean this part of the mouth. This will be addressed in more detail below.
Another cause of bad breath is actually a medical one, not a dental one or one associated with oral hygiene: disease. There are medical conditions that can cause bad breath in children, but they are exceedingly uncommon. Chances are, if your child has halitosis and unpleasant odor in the mouth, then it is due to poor hygiene or bacteria, not these medication conditions. For your reference, though, bad breath is a symptom of renal failure, diabetes mellitus, metabolic dysfunction, and other illnesses.
How to Treat Halitosis
The most effective way to treat and cure the problem and symptoms of bad breath is to teach your child to exercise proper hygiene. This mostly includes brushing their teeth. As part of a bad breath cure a child should brush their teeth at least twice a day, for at least 30 seconds each time, ensuring to cover not just the teeth but the gums, sides of the mouth, roof of the mouth, and the tongue. If your child specifically has problems with bacteria coating the tongue (as evidenced by a white substance), then you may need to gently scrape the tongue.
Proper hygiene is the best way to get rid of unseemly bad breath. Plus, the sooner you begin training, the more likely your child will be to hold on to those positive habits for the rest of their lives. Other remedies include mouthwash, floss, and sugarless chewing gum (which stimulates saliva that cleans your mouth).
In short, if your child has bad breath, do not fret. It is manageable with proper hygiene. Follow this advice and in no time your child will be free of unpleasant odor and the social stigma that comes with it.
