When a toddler has bad breath, it is the parents that usually panic and wonder what they did wrong for their child to have this issue.
One of the myths regarding children is that they do not contract foul breath because as babies, they have the sweetest smelling breath.
That is one of the myths that we will be setting right today.
Toddlers get this condition too.
Just like adults, there are a number of factors why a toddler gets bad breath.
While it may sometimes point to a serious illness, toddlers with not so sweet breath normally have them for the same reasons that adults do.
Toddlers are not as conscious of the smell as adults are, so it is possible that the toddler's bad breath go undetected unless the parents are face to face with them and notice the problem.
Some reasons that may produce nasty breath in toddlers include dehydration, improper oral hygiene, post nasal drip, dry mouth, and food intake, among others.
There are also serious causes, and these can include the introduction of a foreign object in the nostril, cavities or gum inflammation, infections, and childhood diabetes, among others.
Serious causes of toddler bad breath must be treated as urgent cases and should be directly referred to a dentist or pediatrician to diagnose and treat the problem.
These should not be taken lightly because the worse case scenario may cause harm to your child.
In these cases, the toddler's breath acts as a warning sign that parents need to heed.
Failure to do so may cause more harm than good to your toddler.
For the not so serious causes, there are ways to clear up the toddler's breath issue, by following proper oral hygiene and ensuring that your child is well hydrated.
Make sure that he drinks plenty of fluids throughout the day and stay away from sugary food and beverages.
Sugar can accumulate at the back of the mouth and later cause foul breath, so limiting your toddler's sugar intake is a very good idea.
Also, control your child's diet.
Some parents have no idea what their toddlers eat throughout the day because they get left with babysitters and nannies.
Some types of food can temporarily cause toddler bad breath, and these should be avoided as much as possible.
Short term or long term, toddler bad breath should always be treated seriously.
Making sure your toddler's breath stay sweet smelling is your job as a parent.
Knowing what to do should your toddler's breath get bad can go a long way in solving the problem.