Having a bout of bad breath every once in a while isn’t exclusive to toddlers, even though it can sometimes seem like an ongoing problem. Every child is different, and that means that every child’s health needs to be dealt with on an individual level. Regardless of what your child’s opinion on brushing and flossing happens to be, it’s important no matter what that you take care of your child’s health, and that involves your child’s oral hygiene as well as aspects of their traditional physical health. Of course, you will want to go to your dentist if you were noticing anything out of the ordinary, such as tooth decay, discoloration or pain, but the truth of the matter is that there doesn’t always need to be a big problem for bad breath to occur, especially in toddlers.
If you’ve noticed recently that your toddler has been having bad breath, whether it has lasted for a few months, a week or even just a day or two, there are so many ways that you can combat this issue. You may be surprised to find that many of the methods that work for kids tend to be the same as methods that you would use as an adult as well. Here are some of the things that you can do when you notice that your toddler has bad breath.
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Brush Daily
No matter who you are, this is an important point when taking care of your oral hygiene. Everybody should brush their teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. You can also choose to brush once in the afternoon as well, if that makes you feel comfortable. Sometimes kids pitch a fit about not wanting to brush their teeth in the morning or at night, but it’s important to stand strong on this issue, especially because the health of their baby teeth can influence the health of their adult teeth when they eventually grow in.
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Floss Daily
Bad breath can sometimes be caused by plaque or buildup in the mouth, which can sometimes be exacerbated when you don’t floss. If you want to teach your child about good oral hygiene habits, you should teach them to floss every day. Not only can this alleviate the bad breath, but it can also set them up for better oral hygiene in the future.
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Switch Toothpaste
Sometimes, the toothpaste can be the culprit in cases of breath. Specifically, if you are using a fluoride-free toothpaste or a children’s toothpaste as your kids age, it can sometimes pose the risk of not cleaning the mouth properly. If you notice that your child has sour breath, you might want to try switching toothpaste.
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Use Mouth Wash
Sometimes, people just have bad breath. That includes toddlers and kids. If you’re looking for a quick fix, try to get them using mouthwash after they brush their teeth. Just like this can do a world of good for adults, it can do the same for kids.
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Use a Tongue Scraper
Just like we discussed buildup between the teeth, there can be a buildup of bacteria on the tongue as well. A good way to tell if this is the case is to look at your child’s tongue and see if it appears filmy, white or yellow. If you’re looking to get rid of this and see if it helps your child’s breath improve, Try using a tongue scraper.
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Avoid Food That Sours Breath
Sometimes, bad breath is exactly what you think it is. If you tend to eat a lot of sour foods in your household or you tend to cook with a lot of pungent spices, it might be the only explanation you need. Try avoiding food that sours your child’s breath, and see if the bad breath stops shortly after.
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Go to Regular Cleanings
Of course, this is a tip that holds true no matter what your oral hygiene situation is, and no matter how old you are. Ideally, everyone should be going for regular oral cleanings twice a year. Try to make sure that you don’t skip appointments or forget about them. You should also make more frequent appointments with your dentist if there is a dental emergency or if you notice that something might be wrong.
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Use Natural Remedies
If you’ve already tried everything that you can and you want to test out a few natural options, there are actually quite a few natural remedies that you can do right in your own home that can Help improve bad breath in certain situations. From parsley to pineapple juice to fennel seeds, there is no shortage of ideas for natural remedies. Just make sure that with some of the more intense options that involve things like vinegar, that your child is old enough to handle the substance being used.
What to Do When Your Toddler Has Bad Breath
Even though it might seem a bit overwhelming — especially if they get fussy — it’s best to deal with bad breath in a toddler just as you would in yourself. With hygiene, diligence and proper attention.
