My child’s breath still smells after they brush their teeth. Is this normal?
This is a very common question from parents. Most often, if a child’s breath still smells after brushing, it is because they are not brushing their tongue. The tongue is a haven for bacteria and makes a nice “home” for them to grow and reproduce. These normal occurring bacteria, when allowed to grow excessively, can cause a quite foul smelling aroma if not brushed away. This can happen to adults as well, and so as part of your brushing routine you should include a thorough scrubbing of the entire tongue. Your child’s tongue should appear pink, including at the back. If they have a yellow or whitish-looking coating, they likely are not brushing their tongue.
This could also, however, be “thrush,” a fungal overgrowth common in babies, but less common in toddlers. So, if they brush their tongue well and it still does not come off, consider a quick trip to the dentist for an evaluation. Thrush is easily treated but if left untreated can spread or be uncomfortable for the child.
There is actually a specialized dental aid, called a tongue cleaner , which works very well also. It’s not very appealing, and works by simply scraping the layer of bacterial tongue film off. They are safe for adults and children to use, but I prefer brushing just because I already have enough “icky” things at my house from parenting two boys! Be sure when brushing that you are reaching far enough back on the tongue. Sometimes this will cause the child (or adult) to gag in response. Just do your best to reach where you can!
Another common cause of this amazing “phenomenon” is poor brushing technique and/or not spending enough time brushing. Those of you who have kids in the older age range are probably all too familiar with these types of amazing “phenomena” in other areas of your family life! Your child should spend at least two minutes brushing their teeth at least twice a day with an American Dental Association approved, fluoridated toothpaste (please refer to the next section of the book for age-appropriate times for introduction of toothpaste). Poor brushing technique and lack of adequate time leaves that layer of “fuzzy” plaque on your teeth. That plaque is actually a thick film layer of bacteria and food debris and can be quite smelly.
Over time, if this layer is not removed, it starts to become hard and cannot be removed without scraping with a special instrument at the dentist. This “hard stuff” is called tartar (your dentist calls it calculus). When it gets stuck on the teeth and not removed, it is the culprit that causes gum disease. This tartar layer then starts to build upon itself, sticking to one layer after another, ultimately spreading beneath the gums. The body then views this concrete-like stuff as a foreign substance and tries its best to be rid of it. The entire process is really astounding, really. Pretty nifty when you think about how well our bodies are at fighting invaders! Unfortunately, this nifty little process has some big, bad side-effects.
In the body’s great attempt to get rid of this villain called tartar, it emits some harmful chemicals to other parts of the mouth. These tiny little chemicals are actually destructive to the bone which hold the teeth in place. They slowly erode that bone away and little by little the teeth become loose. So loose in fact, that the teeth can eventually fall out on their own or have to be extracted by your dentist.
This viscous, destructive cycle is what we call “gum disease” but your dentist will refer to it as “periodontal disease.” Don’t get confused, they mean the same thing! Gum disease can range from mild to severe and treatment for it depends on the severity of the disease. Another term you may here is “gingivitis.” Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease. At this stage, no bone has actually been lost, but the process is on its way if not treated with a professional cleaning and better oral hygiene
As a dentist, the gum disease process is one of the most devastating and saddest of all dental problems for me to see. The reason for this is because in most cases, it is completely preventable and curable if treated early. The cure is so simple but the effects of no treatment are life altering. I have seen more tears than I care to share with you from premature loss of teeth in young and otherwise healthy people. Loss of teeth can be a very emotionally upsetting experience for many people, especially when it occurs in the front of the mouth.
Now going back to our non-compliant little adults and tykes. I know what you’re thinking. I have tried to make my child brush their teeth. I tell them all the time and they just don’t do it. How am I supposed to get a teenager to brush? I don’t have time to look over their shoulder. The great news is, no shoulder looking is usually required, because you can smell it from a mile away! The only suggestion I have to offer here is using whichever form of discipline you use normally (assuming it doesn’t involve lashings or something similar)! For me, personally, I find taking favorite toys, gadgets or privileges away to be handy and often successful!
Another way is to be able to show the child the amount of “grime” on their teeth. This is also one of my personal favorites, as it tends to “gross-out” most older kids and encourage them to brush better. For younger kids, it is actually fun and a form of entertainment! There are several ways you can show them. One of the best is to ask your dentist for plaque tablets (called disclosing tablets). They are usually purple or pink and about the size of an aspirin tablet. The child will chew it up, swish it around in their mouth and then spit it out. Then, voila-you have a brightly stained layer of bacterial fuzz which they have to brush off! Not only will this show them how much they are missing while brushing, but it will also get them used to how long and how much pressure they need to use to adequately brush their teeth.
There are also over-the-counter plaque dyes that can be used such as “Agent Cool Blue” by Listerine and a few others. However, my experience has been that the professional dyes (disclosing tablets) work much better but are a little trickier to find. Your dentist should be able to help you find the tablets if you are not satisfied with the results of the over-the-counter stains.
Speaking of stain-those little tablets and swishes are also fabulous as staining lots of other items, so you may want to supervise the process! As mentioned earlier, the child should be old enough to rinse and spit the mouthwash out without swallowing to avoid any potential toxicity.
There are also other more concerning reasons for the malodor. Though uncommon, other reasons include tooth decay, gum disease, gastro-esophageal reflux and other disease processes. So be sure to take your child to the dentist for a thorough exam if tongue brushing or better brushing doesn’t remove the odor.
Dr. Jamie Brown - http://www.your-childs-teeth.comTags: Adults, Aroma, Babies, Bacteria, Bad Breath, Dental Aid, Dentist, Fungal Overgrowth, Gag, Parenting, Parents, Phenomena, Phenomenon, Quick Trip, Teeth, Thrush, Toddlers, Tongue Cleaner, Two Boys, Two Minutes