Generally, babies are noted to have pleasing and sweet breath. However, this is not true at all times as babies can also have bad breath. Yes, hundreds of mothers have reported this condition, and many of them have felt little embarrassed as to how foul the breath of their babies smells.
Babies’ bad breath is something that should not be left unattended or ignored. The degree of foulness in the breath may mean a serious infection. It could be a throat or mouth infection, or sinusitis causing the bad breath. Mothers who have noticed their baby has frequent bad breath should consult a physician to identify the cause. Ask the pediatrician to inspect the gums and teeth of your child. Based on his findings, he may recommend you take your baby to the dentist.
Babies’ bad breath can also be a result of mouth breathing. Mouth breathing usually occurs as soon as the baby sleeps. This is actually the condition in which the muscles in the baby’s mouth relax and the production of saliva drops, leaving the mouth dry. Once the mouth is dried, bacteria tend to grow in numbers and the longer the period that the baby sleeps with an open mouth, the higher the number of bacteria in the baby’s mouth. This is actually the main cause of “morning breath”.
To prevent bad breath with this kind of condition, it is best to clean your baby’s mouth first thing in the morning. You can teach your toddlers the proper way of brushing their teeth, and you can even teach them how to clean their tongue to eliminate bad breath. Always assist them.
In addition, your baby could develop bad breath if he or she sucks his thumb. This also tends to dry the mouth, then creating an ideal environment for the odor-causing bacteria to thrive and grow. This is also true when your baby is using a pacifier or sucks on a blanket. It is worth noting that your baby’s bad breath can be intensified if the object being sucked has not been kept sufficiently clean and disinfected.
To control the growth of bacteria in your baby’s mouth, make sure that the hands of your child are properly washed. Also, never let him or her suck blankets or un-sterilized pacifiers. If you want him or her to play with the pacifier, make sure that you have sterilized it. Finally, try to encourage your child to stop the sucking habit if you can. Of course, that may seem easier said than done, but just try. Your baby’s oral health will be the better for it.
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