Every Dentist Needs Your Help Keeping Your Teeth Healthy

If you have a beautiful little girl, but every time she leans in to snuggle or cuddle she has the horrible breath of a dog rummaging through trash, you should get her to a pediatric dentist. Children under the age of twelve should not have breath that reeks that bad. While kids can have halitosis, it should never smell like a garbage disposal. Here are some possible causes of severe halitosis in little girls (and boys!) and how your pediatric dentist can help.

Poor Oral Hygiene

All those times you told your daughter to brush her teeth--well, that might have been faked. Kids are notorious for avoiding toothpaste because the minty sensation is unpleasant to them. She might have just wetted her toothbrush with water and that was that.

Tap water will not destroy the germs that cause bad breath, nor does it effectively clean your teeth like toothpaste can. While you may have thought your kid was doing a great job brushing every night before bed, she may have just been using water! A dentist, such as those at Hoffman & Karl Dental Associates, PLLC, can figure that one out and then suggest a kid-friendly flavored toothpaste to get your daughter to actually brush with toothpaste and not tap water.

Crowded Teeth

Crowded teeth are another cause of bad breath in young children. If your daughter has teeth that heavily overlap and you cannot get dental floss through, there is probably a ton of bacteria in there and in her gums that are making her mouth stink. The dentist will recognize the crowding issue, and if she is old enough, your dentist may prescribe the first round of braces. The braces will help move and straighten the teeth while the stricter oral hygiene required with braces will help remove anything that is stuck in her teeth and causing the foul odor emanating from her mouth.

Snoring, Mouth-Breathing and Swollen Sinuses

If your daughter snores, you may have heard her do it. She may also be a mouth-breather at night, someone who breathes with an open mouth all night long. Sinuses that swell shut the minute her head hits the pillow may also contribute to the problem.

All of the above cause your daughter to develop a dry, hot and/or humid mouth. This easily develops more bacteria and then collects and pockets it in the more moist areas in her mouth when the rest of the mouth is dried out from snoring and mouth-breathing. You can tell that these are big problems if her bad breath in the morning can be smelled from two or three feet away. Your dentist can tell from x-rays taken of her mouth, sinus cavities and head. CPAP machines and surgery may be the only treatments.