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Reasons for Bad Breath in Children

Halitosis, fetor oris, ozostomia, or stomatodysodia are medical terms for bad or sour smelling breath. Halitosis affects both adults and children and is usually precipitated by the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth. Practicing good dental hygiene can improve bad breath in children, and pediatricians and dentists alike consider it the best preventive measure. If your child practices good dental hygiene but continues to have persistent bad breath, bring him to the dentist to determine if an underlying condition is the reason for the bad breath.

  1. Poor Dental Hygiene

    • The most common reason for bad breath in children is poor dental hygiene, according to the WebMD website. Children who do not properly brush or floss their teeth and tongues are more likely to experience bad breath, resulting from bacteria feeding on stagnant saliva and food particles in their mouths. Food particles can get trapped in the crevices of the tonsils of children who do not brush their teeth at least twice a day. Otherwise known as tonsillar stones, this condition is another reason for foul breath in children.

    Mouth-Breathing

    • According to pediatrician Alan Greene, mouth-breathing is another frequent cause for smelly breath in children. Mouth-breathing is the act of inhaling and exhaling through the mouth versus the nose. Children who mouth-breathe may experience dry mouth--an environment conducive to the growth and propagation of the bacteria that causes bad breath. Children may breathe through their mouth as a result of colds, sore throats, sinus infections, allergies, enlarged tonsils or nasal passage blockages. Children prone to thumb-sucking may also experience dry mouth and bad breath.

    Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

    • Tooth decay or gum disease can also be a reason for bad breath in children. Tooth decay and gum disease can cause the bacteria that causes bad breath to accumulate. According to the Get Rid of Bad Breath website, Japanese research shows sugarless yogurt is an effective remedy for bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. Yogurt reduces the levels of hydrogen suphide in the mouth; hydrogen suphide is a primary cause of bad breath. The main bacteria in yogurt that helps reduce bad breath are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

    Seasonal Allergies

    • Bad breath may indicate the onset of seasonal allergies. Allergies may cause mucus discharge to collect on the back of your child's tongue (postnasal drip). This layer of mucus provides a protective blanket under which the bacteria that cause bad breath can hide. This bacteria can also break down proteins in the mucus to produce volatile sulfur particles. Other symptoms associated with seasonal allergies include dry cough, which gets worse at night, a runny nose or itchy eyes.

    Nasal Blockage

    • It is not uncommon for children to shove something--typically a pea, corn kernel, or a lima bean--up into his nose. A foreign body left in the nasal passage can rot or cause a surrounding infection. In this instance, the putrid smell will predominantly come from your child's nose and not his mouth. If you suspect your little tyke shoved a foreign object up his nose, contact your child's pediatrician for further advice. The WebMD website does not advocate trying to fish out the object without the supervision of a medical professional, because parents usually succeed only in shoving the object further up their kid's nostril.

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