Teach your Kids about Bad Breath

Poor oral hygiene leads to bad breath and the social ostracizing of a child. People are not usually aware that they have bad breath and it is not something that one can mention, even to a friend, without causing offense.

Once anyone is conscious that their breath may smell they become very aware of how they speak and how close they are standing to other people. This unhealthy attitude is so easy to avoid by teaching your children good oral hygiene.

Milk teeth are replaced by adult teeth by the time a child is about 8 years old. The final adult teeth, the wisdom teeth, may appear 10 years later, or may only partially erupt from their gum. Good teeth habits need to start early. These basically include brushing teeth, cutting down on sweet foods and visiting the dentist regularly.

Good teeth or at least well fitting dentures are essential for comfortable speech and eating. Lots of people have come to assume that bright white teeth are the only good teeth - Not so.

Dentist's visits are no longer the source of fear for children that they were for their parents or grandparents. Dentists are generally pleasant, if over-paid, professionals. They try their hardest to make their surgery pleasant and relaxing, especially for children.

A large percentage of 11 year old children already have fillings in their teeth. These fillings have a life of 5-10 years, so these individuals will be visiting the dentist regularly for life. Some children have no fillings whatsoever, and this is not because their parents are any more successful in teaching dental hygiene.

The orthodontist and dental braces are feared by parents and children alike. The "Jaws" appearance of some braces leads children to fear name-calling and loss of opportunity with the opposite sex. Parents worry about the cost of all that metalwork.

There are many more ortho-dontal options than there ever were just a few years ago. Do your research, find out your options and do your best for your kids' long-term health.

Bad Breath in Children

There are specific reasons that there may be problem of bad breath in children. There are several factors which may influence the production of bad breath, and some of these are particularly likely to be found in children.

Depending on their age, children can have a habit of putting things up their noses, which may become lodged and lead to bad breath. It's not unusual for children to poke small objects into their mouths and noses. If there is a suspicion of this, it is probably best to allow a doctor to probe and remove the foreign object. There may be an indicator of this activity if there is a discharge from the nose. It's also been reported that small swallowed objects can become lodged in the passages and cause bad breath.

The habit of oral hygiene needs to be instilled in children while they are growing up. It's fairly well established that children are not necessarily fastidious in keeping their teeth and mouths clean, and the presence of old food may provide a good breeding ground for the bacteria that cause decomposition and smelly breath. Children should always be encouraged and taught to maintain the highest standards of oral hygiene, as this is a habit that they will carry with them through their lives.

When considering a case of chronic bad breath in children, the usual factors that create the problem in adults should not be ignored. These would include dry mouth, which creates an environment conducive to the bacteria flourishing. While it should be expected that children would not be so prone to bad breath from chewing tobacco, or from drinking alcohol, they are more prone to diseases that affect the saliva glands, and to getting respiratory or throat and mouth infections. These in themselves may cause direct odor, and they will also aggravate the problem by causing mouth breathing and drying out.

Post nasal drip is a particular problem found in young children which can cause bad breath. The bacteria causing the smelly breath tend to be at home on the back of the tongue, and this is exactly where the nasal drip concentrates. The nasal drip itself is a chemical compound that is reported from research to act as a fuel to the bacteria. It contains protein made up of amino acids that are broken down to hydrogen sulfide and other smells.

If it appears that your child has a persistent bad breath problem, it would be wise to consult your physician for assistance in diagnosing and curing the issue.