Strange smell from the child's mouth. Bad breath in a child - causes and treatment methods

The appearance of a specific odor from a child’s mouth is not as harmless a phenomenon as it might seem at first glance. It is important to find out whether it is a symptom of a serious illness.

A child has bad breath: causes that do not require treatment

The most common cause of halitosis in a child is poor hygiene. It is also the most easily remedied: parents need to teach their child to brush their teeth properly and monitor regular hygiene procedures.

The health of a child is directly related to the quality of nutrition. If your diet contains too much protein or sweets, you may experience bad breath. The reason for this is the processes of decay in the intestines.

A specific smell may be the body’s reaction to a certain product. In this case, it will disappear after brushing the teeth, but may haunt the child the next day. Most often, bad breath remains after eating the following foods:

• Garlic
• Hard cheeses
• Corn
• Radish
• Dairy
• Sweet carbonated drinks.

Malfunctions of the digestive system against the background of normal nutrition are observed in children during periods of intensive growth. This is due to the fact that the internal organs do not have time to adapt to the rapidly changing skeleton. Typically, such problems arise at the ages of 6–7 and 10–12 years in girls and 4–6 and 13–16 years in boys. In this case, bad breath is a normal phenomenon that goes away on its own and does not require treatment.

Cause for concern

A healthy child's mouth contains a huge amount of bacteria. Some of them - non-pathogenic bacteria - will never cause disease. Another group of bacteria - opportunistic - do not manifest themselves until favorable conditions for their reproduction appear. If the child’s immunity is weakened, the activation of pathogenic flora begins.

An imbalance of microorganisms in the oral cavity is most often caused by dry mucous membranes. There are several reasons that contribute to drying out:

• Breathing through the mouth
• Low indoor humidity
• Insufficient fluid intake
• Disorder of the salivary glands
• Long-term use of medications
• Psychological stress.

A dry oral cavity provides a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Settling on the mucous membranes, they cause inflammation in the mouth (stomatitis, caries, periodontitis, fungal infections) and nasopharynx (rhinitis, tonsillitis, adenoiditis), which become sources of unpleasant odor. The inflammatory process in the nasopharynx is also accompanied by swelling under the eyes, impaired nasal breathing, and snoring.

Diabetes mellitus is indicated by the characteristic smell of acetone, and kidney disease by the smell of ammonia.

An unpleasant symptom can also be caused by mumps, which affects the salivary glands.

Psychological factor of the disease

When a child develops bad breath, parents immediately rush to look for physical pathologies. However, psychological stress can play an equally significant role in the appearance of bad breath, because it helps to reduce the secretion of saliva, and this reduces local immunity and makes the child vulnerable to infection.

It’s worth thinking: perhaps the cause was a nervous shock? It is necessary to analyze the child’s behavior recently, his relationships with others: find out if there are any problems in kindergarten or school, if the child is being bullied by his peers. It is important to create a positive atmosphere in the family: then the baby will trust his parents and talk about his fears and worries.

If the child has experienced severe anxiety, you need to give him plenty of water to avoid dehydration and drying out of the mucous membranes.

You can get rid of bad breath in a child by adjusting hygiene and nutrition. Some tips to help parents:

• Replace sugar with natural fruits and honey
• Add more vegetables to your diet
• Reduce the amount of protein
• Make sure your child drinks at least one and a half liters of clean water per day
• Buy quality toothpaste and brush
• Teach your child the technique of brushing teeth (removing food particles from the interdental space and plaque from the tongue).

If the child is still very young, it is worth checking if he has a foreign body in his nose. Perhaps this is the reason for the bad smell: an inflammatory process develops in the nose, and purulent discharge is formed, which the baby swallows.

To remove a foreign body, you must consult a doctor.

If these methods do not help, most likely the reason lies in the onset of the disease. In this case, there is no need to mask the unpleasant symptom: it is important to seek help in time and cure the disease.

Parents should not self-medicate. The most correct decision would be to visit a pediatrician: he will conduct a comprehensive examination of the child, clarify all the necessary information for making a preliminary diagnosis, and only then refer him to the right doctor (dentist, otolaryngologist, gastroenterologist, etc.). To clarify the diagnosis, a specialist may prescribe laboratory and ultrasound tests. This approach will allow you to quickly determine the cause of the unpleasant odor and prevent the development of serious consequences.

Delicate problem: bad breath in a child

If a child is old enough to evaluate the attitude of others towards him, he may be embarrassed by bad breath. Moreover, at school he may experience communication difficulties, be humiliated and ridiculed.

It is very important that parents have a timely educational conversation and explain to the child that he is not to blame for the problem. Sometimes a sensitive reaction causes a strong interest in a child to quickly cope with trouble, and he gladly follows all the prescribed recommendations.

The opposite situation is also possible: the child develops an inferiority complex, he withdraws into himself and does not want to make contact with either his parents or doctors. In this case, you should think about consulting a psychologist.

Immediately after birth, the baby has a very pleasant smell. This is due to its “sterility”. The newborn has not yet had time to fully encounter the harmful effects of the environment, so the microflora of his body is clean and ideal. However, with age, parents may notice a rather unpleasant and even repulsive odor from the child’s mouth. This worries many, so let’s look at the causes of this pathology.

Bad breath in a child is a symptom, the cause of which must be found out. Bad breath - normal or pathological?

Your baby's breath may smell, especially in the morning, due to dry saliva, accumulation of bacteria in the mouth, or the development of a disease. In the latter case, the smell will be persistent and characteristic. If after morning procedures (brushing teeth and tongue, rinsing) the specific aroma does not go away, the child should be shown to a doctor. The pediatrician will examine him, conduct an examination and confirm or refute his family’s fears.

Why do healthy child Do you have a strange smell from your mouth? Let's consider the physiological reasons for this phenomenon:

• eating highly sweet, carbohydrate-containing foods or foods with a specific odor (onions, garlic);
• drying of the nasopharyngeal mucosa and saliva due to excessive physical activity, stress or after sleep;
• use of drugs that cause odor;
• a small child may put something in his nose (for example, a piece of washcloth, rubber), which will cause the object to rot and create an odor;
• hormonal changes during puberty, lack of vitamins, microelements and iodine in the body.

The main causes of unpleasant odor

Bad breath occurs at any age and can be associated with rot, iodine, acid, acetone, urine or rotten eggs. With the transition to solid food and the appearance of teeth, infants and children over one year old have leftover food in the mouth, which leads to the proliferation of bacteria and fungi in the body. With proper care and oral hygiene, the odor usually disappears unless it is a symptom of a disease.

Let's consider the main causes of pathology:

• insufficient hygiene;
• diseases of the oral cavity;
• diseases of the ENT organs;
• bronchial infections;
• digestive system disease;
• damage to the liver, kidneys;
• diabetes.

Neglect of oral hygiene

The most common cause of morning odor is poor or improper child oral hygiene or the consumption of foods that cause a specific odor (for example, garlic).

Parents should take control of this issue, as some children neglect oral hygiene. As a result, many microbes appear on the leftover food in the mouth, it rots, decomposes, and plaque forms on the teeth and tongue. Caries and bad breath appear.

Diseases of teeth and gums

Bad breath is accompanied by almost all diseases of the teeth and gums:

• caries;
• gingivitis;
• stomatitis;
• periodontal disease;
• tartar, etc.

The child should be taken to the dentist, even if no changes are visible on the teeth. Many pathological processes in teeth begin without damage to the enamel, so examination by a specialist is necessary to exclude or confirm the diagnosis.

Diseases of the nasopharynx
Bad breath will occur with diseases of the ENT organs

Bad breath may be a consequence of a developing disease of the ENT organs. The main diseases causing pathology:

1. Acute, purulent or chronic tonsillitis (angina). As a result of the proliferation of bacteria in the nasopharynx, purulent plugs form on the tonsils, and the tonsils become inflamed. A child with a sore throat feels unwell, has pain when swallowing, and has a fever. Mucus with bacteria accumulates in the throat, which causes a putrid, sour smell.
2. Sinusitis, acute or chronic rhinitis also causes the appearance of this unpleasant pathology. Purulent mucus flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx, stagnation of snot and pus occurs, so the child smells unpleasant.
3. Neoplasms and cysts in the throat. This pathology is the most dangerous, since the only symptom may be a putrid odor from the mouth. Often the disease is asymptomatic.

Lung infections

Pulmonary infections affect bronchial secretions, causing mucus production and coughing. This process is very dangerous for children, especially for children under one year old. His lungs are not developed enough to get rid of mucus on their own, so it, along with bacteria, accumulates in the bronchial tree, and an odor appears when coughing. If the problem is not solved, bronchitis and pneumonia develop.

Digestive diseases

When, when communicating with a child, relatives notice that his breath smells sour or rotten, then most likely the baby has digestive problems.

Gastrointestinal diseases are also the cause of bad breath

The appearance of an unpleasant odor may indicate:

• gastritis;
• disruption of the stomach;
• excessive secretion of gastric juice;
• duodenal disease;
• neoplasms and tumors in the digestive organs;
• disruption of the valves in the stomach;
• poor nutrition.

Liver diseases

The appearance of a sweetish odor from a child’s mouth when exhaling indicates liver disease. If the disease occurs in an acute form, other symptoms also occur: changes in the color of the nails and skin, a yellowish coating on the tongue, itching and rash on the body. These symptoms indicate acute liver failure, disruption of its function and blood flow.

Liver disease is indicated by a sweetish or rotten odor not only from the mouth. Over time, the baby’s skin begins to exude the same aroma.

If additional symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor, who will refer you for tests and an ultrasound. If measures are not taken in time and treatment is not started, the child may fall into a coma.

Kidney diseases

Your child's breath may smell like urine or ammonia. This pathology is associated with:

• unhealthy diet;
• taking medications;
• kidney disease (pyelonephritis, stones, neoplasms).

Kidney function is affected by a lack of fluid in the body. If a child drinks little water and his diet mainly consists of carbohydrate foods, this leads to increased stress on the urinary system. The kidneys fail to cope with their functions, urine stagnates in the body and decay products accumulate, which cause the smell of ammonia.

Diabetes

For proper functioning of the body, glucose is necessary, which comes from certain foods. The hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, helps it get into the cells. If there is a lack of it, glucose is not transported into the cells, which leads to their starvation.

To avoid bad breath in diabetes mellitus, you must adhere to a special diet

This picture is observed in children with diabetes mellitus, when the hormone is not produced enough or is completely absent. This is caused by pathological changes in the pancreas. The reason for this may be heredity. The accumulation of glucose and ketone substances in the blood provokes the smell of acetone and iodine.

Does the appearance of odor depend on the age of the child?

Bad breath can appear at any time in life and does not depend on age. This problem is relevant for both adults and children, and in childhood this pathology is more common. This is mainly due to insufficient hygiene and poor nutrition. Whatever the reason for the odor, the child should in any case be shown to a doctor.

What is the treatment of pathology?

Unpleasant oral odor caused by physiological reasons does not require treatment. It is often enough to review the child’s diet and quality, limit the consumption of carbohydrate and sweet foods, monitor the amount of fluid consumed and proper oral hygiene. If the smell does not go away after a week, this indicates some kind of disease. This smell will go away when the cause is identified and eliminated. To do this, you should contact a specialist.

Prevention
From the early age It is necessary to instill in your child the habit of caring for teeth

To prevent oral odor, the baby must be taught to take care of oral hygiene from the moment of teething. In addition, starting from six months, the baby is given clean boiled water between meals, since at this age the liquid contained in breast milk is no longer enough to maintain water balance.

One-year-old babies' first teeth should be cleaned with a bandage. It is wrapped around a clean index finger, moistened with boiled water and rubbed on each tooth on both sides. If there is plaque on the child’s tongue, it must be removed without pressing, so as not to provoke a gag reflex and not to injure the tissue.

From the age of 2, parents brush their child’s teeth with a toothbrush. A three-year-old child should do this himself under parental supervision. From the age of 10, children can use dental floss (see also: electric toothbrushes for children aged 6 years and older). The child’s diet should include fish, dairy products, fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and fiber. Parents also need to monitor the amount of clean water the child drinks (not taking into account teas, juices, compotes, etc.). Standards for its use:

Sometimes parents may notice an unpleasant odor from the child’s mouth; it feels like it smells of some kind of rot. But not all mothers treat this phenomenon properly, justifying the bad smell in children by the peculiarities of their diet and other reasons that seem suitable to them. But in fact, this is a rather serious problem that must be addressed immediately. Therefore, it is important for parents to study the causes of bad smell and methods to combat them.

Your child’s breath smells – why?

There are several reasons why children may smell bad.

1. Insufficient oral hygiene. An unpleasant sour odor from the mouth of a child may occur due to poor oral hygiene. Children under 7-10 years of age, for the most part, brush their teeth reluctantly and not thoroughly. For this reason, every time after eating, hundreds of bacteria begin to multiply in the baby’s mouth, which lead to caries and gum inflammation. This is where the bad smell comes from. Therefore, parents should teach their baby to brush their teeth thoroughly at an early age. This will not only avoid discomfort, but also maintain the health of your teeth and digestive tract.
2. Some foods and drinks. Foods such as cheese, onions, garlic, many juices, corn, etc. can cause the proliferation of various pathogenic bacteria that have a characteristic odor. It often occurs in children after eating sweets. In this case, it is important to explain to the baby that after eating you need to either brush your teeth or simply rinse your mouth.
3. Fungus on the oral mucosa. Every person has a certain number of microorganisms and bacteria in their mouth. When their balance is disturbed, children and adults develop a bad odor in the mouth, as the inflammatory process rages on the mucous membrane. Imbalance occurs mainly due to poor nutrition. In this case, it is recommended to definitely show the child to a specialist.
4. Plaque on the child's tongue. Often mothers only care about their children’s teeth, completely unaware that the tongue also needs to be cleaned. The unevenness of the tongue is an excellent place for the accumulation of food debris, which in turn becomes an excellent habitat and breeding ground for microbes. Therefore, from the first days of life, the baby needs to regularly clean his tongue.
5. Accumulation of mucus in the sinuses. This disease can affect both a one-year-old baby and an older child. In addition to the bad smell, the patient often notes the presence of a strange taste in the mouth. This disease requires qualified treatment.
6. Mouth breathing. At the moment when the baby breathes not through his nose, but through his mouth, the mucous surface dries out, which also provokes the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Chronic sinusitis and seasonal allergies lead to the fact that the baby cannot breathe normally through the nose. Therefore, a common or allergic runny nose should be treated as early as possible.
7. Tonsillitis. This disease is accompanied by the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the tonsils, which become the source of bad breath in children. Sometimes food debris accumulates in the tonsils, which begin to rot and emit a disgusting aroma. A child with this disease should regularly gargle with plain water. And from his diet it is worth excluding foods such as cottage cheese and cheese, as well as seeds.
8. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Increased acidity in the stomach and the accumulation of gastric juice in it also provoke bad odor in children. This phenomenon is especially often observed in a child who has eaten heavy food.
9. Stress, emotional stress and fears of a child under 5 years old. All these phenomena, which at first glance are completely unrelated to the oral cavity, lead either to excessive secretion of saliva, or, conversely, to its temporary absence. Dryness and increased moisture in the oral cavity can also be called one of the most common factors in the appearance of unpleasant odor in the mouth.

Many parents are perplexed why their newly born babies have bad breath, because the baby eats exclusively healthy food - breast milk. In fact, this is due to the fact that the child, having fed the breast and not washed it down with regular water, is also exposed to the creation of a favorable environment in the mouth for the development of bacteria.

Fighting bad breath in children

First of all, no matter how old your child is, you should contact a specialist. The doctor will conduct examinations of the oral cavity, ask you about accompanying symptoms and, if necessary, prescribe treatment. If the doctor has not identified any pathologies, but the smell still does not go away, then you can solve the problem yourself.

Firstly, for a child under three years old, parents should brush their teeth themselves. This will help you thoroughly clean your baby's mouth. Secondly, eliminate all sweets from your baby’s diet. No matter how old a child is, sweets and cakes can bring a minimum of pleasure and a maximum of harm! Replace artificial sugar with regular natural honey. This product of natural origin will not affect dental health and will bring many benefits to the general condition of the body. Just remember that children under 2 years old may not tolerate honey and bee products well, so it’s worth introducing this product into the baby's diet gradually. Thirdly, children after 2 years of age should be offered to eat a little block or orange after the main meal. These fruits increase salivation and help reduce the number of germs in the mouth.

Strong bad breath in a child, the causes of which lie in improper hygiene and eating inappropriate foods, can be eliminated independently. The main thing is to carefully consider this problem.

Bad breath is called halitosis. Strong bad breath, especially in a child, indicates oral diseases or metabolic problems. By the nature of the smell, you can determine the cause of this disease and prescribe a specific treatment. The smell from a child’s mouth may be acetone, ammonia, putrefactive, etc. We will tell you more about this in this article.

Causes of bad breath in children

Causes of bad breath in children include:

1. Insufficient oral hygiene - in this case, the cause may be inappropriate toothpaste or neglect of oral hygiene.
2. Infection in the oral cavity - the activity of pathogenic microorganisms can create a putrid odor from the mouth of a child.
3. Dysfunction of the salivary glands - a change in bad breath may indicate a violation of the composition of saliva, as well as an insufficient level of secretion.
4. Difficulty in nasal breathing reduces the protective functions of the oral mucosa, and inflammation occurs. Also, when nasal breathing is impaired, infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract become more frequent.
5. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
6. Metabolic disease.

Sometimes the appearance of a foreign odor from the mouth can be a manifestation of stress, in which case the phenomenon quickly passes. In some cases, halitosis indicates problems with the cardiovascular system, pathologies of the nervous system, immunodeficiency conditions, and hereditary diseases.

If the problem occurs frequently and lasts for long periods of time, you should consult a doctor.

Types of odor and possible diseases

How to treat?

If a foreign odor appears from a child’s mouth, the following steps must be taken:

1. Contact your dentist for an oral examination. If no diseases were detected, it is necessary to continue the examination
2. A consultation with a pediatrician will help collect the child’s medical history and draw up a list of further studies. Then you will need to undergo an examination as prescribed by your pediatrician.
3. An examination by an ENT doctor will help determine otitis media, tonsillitis, sore throat and inflammation of the adenoids. Also, halitosis can occur with frequent ARVI, sinusitis and pharyngitis.
4. Consultation with a gastroenterologist for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and biliary tract. You may have to do an ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder, and undergo gastroduodenoscopy.
5. Take general tests: urine, blood, feces, to determine possible problems: inflammation, gastrointestinal diseases, kidney diseases, anemia.
6. Donate blood for biochemistry to identify metabolic problems, hormonal imbalances and diabetes.

Once the source of the problem has been identified, it is necessary to follow the instructions of the attending physician, providing the child with all the conditions for a speedy recovery. A specialist prescribes a set of treatment measures; you can take preventive measures yourself.

Preventing bad breath in children

To prevent halitosis in children, the following actions should be taken:

1. Choose a toothpaste suitable for the child, teach the child to independently monitor the cleanliness of the oral cavity.
2. Eliminate excess sweet foods, limit salt and spices.
3. Take measures to stop dysbiosis: consume probiotics, include fermented milk products in your diet.
4. Wash fresh vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating.
5. Give your child more clean drinking water, especially in hot weather. A child over four years old needs to drink about one and a half liters of water, not counting tea, juices and liquids in food.
6. To improve the smell of your breath, you can use herbal decoctions and chew chewing gum after eating food.
7. You need to start monitoring oral hygiene from the age of six months: you can buy a special soft brush at the pharmacy and brush your teeth, gums, tongue and the inside of your cheeks first without toothpaste. Starting from one and a half years old, you can buy special children's toothpastes, with their help it will be possible to prevent caries and accustom the baby to regular brushing of teeth.
8. Also, you need to strengthen the baby’s immunity. Introduce complementary foods according to age, choose dietary and hypoallergenic foods. Over-salted, spicy foods, canned foods and fast food products should be avoided.
9. To monitor your health, you must regularly visit a pediatrician at your place of residence.

Bad breath is always a sign of ill health and may be the initial manifestation of a serious illness. Therefore, it is very important not to ignore this symptom.

Halitosis, halitosis, ozostomia, fetor oris are medical terms that reflect such a phenomenon as bad breath.

It is common among adults and is a major social and psychological problem for some people. But not all parents pay due attention to this symptom in their child. Statistics on this problem in children are unclear, but pediatricians, gastroenterologists and dentists often encounter it.

Bad breath in a child - always a sign of ill health, and may be a manifestation of a serious disease at an early stage. Therefore, you should always strive to find out the cause and eliminate it. There are many possible causes of bad breath in a child.

Insufficient oral hygiene

The most common reason Bad breath is caused by insufficient oral hygiene. Most often, parents turn to the dentist with this issue, and if his recommendations are regularly followed (frequently changing toothpaste and toothbrush, rinsing the mouth after every meal, regular and proper brushing of teeth), the problem disappears.

Violation of the composition of the microflora of the oral cavity and nasopharynx

This is the next most common cause of bad breath. Foci of infection (usually chronic) and diseases of the oral cavity (caries), nasopharynx and oropharynx (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, adenoiditis), middle ear (otitis media), bronchopulmonary system, functional disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, metabolic abnormalities are provoking and supporting factors disrupting the species and quantitative composition of the oral microflora.

These changes lead to excessive growth of putrefactive microflora, the result of which is the formation of volatile compounds that are perceived by the olfactory apparatus as an unpleasant odor.

Disorders of the functioning of the salivary glands

Of great importance in maintaining a healthy child’s oral cavity is work of the salivary glands. Violation of their function leads to a decrease in saliva secretion and the appearance of dry mouth.

Saliva has a complex chemical microelement and ionic composition, contains enzymes (amylase and maltose, proteases, lipases, lysozyme, phosphatases), immunoglobulins (mainly secretory IG A, also serum IgG and IgM), mucins and much more. Such a complex composition ensures the performance of many functions: digestive, barrier (moisturizing and cleaning the oral mucosa), bactericidal, enamel protection (phosphorus and calcium metabolism, which, in turn, prevents the development of caries). The composition and quantity of saliva are subject to daily fluctuations and depend on diet, drinking regimen, and metabolism. The work of the salivary glands is controlled by the central nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions).

Causes of decreased saliva secretion may include stress, sleep, dehydration, taking certain medications (antiallergic, antisecretory, antidiarrheal, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anticholinergic), vegetative-vascular dystonia (a very common diagnosis in all age groups).

Deviations in the functioning of the salivary glands (qualitative and quantitative) lead to impaired cleaning of the oral cavity, excessive growth of putrefactive microflora and the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

Nasal breathing disorder

Nasal breathing disorder(with chronic rhinitis, adenoiditis) is not a harmless phenomenon. Impaired nasal breathing leads to constant drying of the mucous membrane, and as a result, a persistent disruption of the microbiocenosis of the oral cavity and nasopharynx occurs, which, in turn, leads to a decrease in the barrier function of the oropharyngeal mucosa. Due to a decrease in local immunity, the frequency of acute respiratory infections and exacerbations of chronic diseases of the nasopharynx and stomatitis (always painful and acute) increases. It has also been proven that impaired nasal breathing reduces cognitive function (memory, attention, psychomotor coordination, speech, counting, thinking).
Thus, a vicious circle is formed - the occurrence of inflammation, as a consequence of a violation of local immunity, which is a consequence of inflammation and a violation of microbiocenosis, etc.

Digestive disorders and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

The spectrum of pathology here is very wide - most often these are functional motor disorders, reflux esophagitis, hiatal hernia, which usually manifest themselves during critical age “periods of traction” (in girls at 6-7 and 10-12 years old, in boys at 4 -6 and at 13-16 years old), periods of intensive growth of the axial skeleton (when the internal organs do not keep up with the pace of its growth).

The consequences of these processes are: impaired motor skills, metabolism and chronic intoxication, which will cause unpleasant breathing.

Some Other Causes of Bad Breath

The specific odor of acetone from the mouth may be a consequence of diabetes mellitus and electrolyte disturbances in the child’s body.

The cause of stale and unpleasant breath may be pulmonary pathology (tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchoetasis and abscesses).

How to eliminate bad breath in a child?

The above indicates the variety of causes and the possible serious consequences of an incorrect approach to the diagnosis and treatment of bad breath (treatment will be consistent with the diagnosis).

A one-sided approach to assessing the child’s condition and a view of the child’s body as a set of organs (skeleton, abdominal organs, excretory, central nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine and reproductive systems) leads to the fact that parents independently and in a chaotic manner begin to consult with various specialists. This usually leads to loss of valuable time and lack of the desired result.

There is no need to self-medicate and randomly drag your child to doctors, because then you take full responsibility for your child’s health. The only right decision- immediately contact your child’s doctor (pediatrician). Pediatrician sees and evaluates your child as a single, complex whole, comprehensively analyzes all information about him, and the result of this work is a correct diagnosis in the shortest possible time.

Examination algorithm here the traditional one is the collection and complex analysis of anamnestic data, assessment of the physical development and condition of the child’s body, drawing up a plan for further examination (additional consultations with specialists, laboratory and instrumental research methods), which should lead to the correct diagnosis and the prescription of adequate treatment.

Krasavin A.V., chief physician of the children's clinic "Markushka", pediatric gastroenterologist

Bad breath from a baby can occur for a variety of reasons, from stress to diseases of the digestive system. Most often, halitosis in children occurs due to untimely brushing of teeth, excessive dryness in the mouth and nose; it goes away after cleansing and moisturizing. If your child constantly has bad breath, you should immediately consult a doctor. Osostomia (as doctors call halitosis) may be the first sign of a serious illness; parents should not take this symptom lightly. It is advisable to consult a dentist to check the condition of the baby’s teeth and gums. If the unpleasant symptom does not disappear, consult a pediatrician, do a general blood test, and depending on its results, consult a specialist.

Bad breath in a child can indicate many diseases.

Specific pungent odor

Parents should be alarmed by the specific smell from the baby’s mouth, which does not go away after hygiene procedures. Limit your baby's consumption of sweets and heavy protein foods, and ensure he drinks plenty of fluids. Usually, after these events, children's halitosis goes away.

Below we will tell you which smells should cause an instant reaction from parents.

Acetone (acetic, solvent)

The smell of acetone or a chemical solvent emanating from a baby, especially against a background of elevated temperature, should cause maximum concern for parents. It appears in acetonemic syndrome, a dangerous condition that is quite common in children of all ages. If you suspect its occurrence, you must immediately call an ambulance, before the doctors arrive, and give the baby boiled water often and in small quantities (a teaspoon).

A slight acetone smell can be a sign of kidney disease, malfunction of the pancreas, helminthiasis (worms), dysbacteriosis, and diabetes. In any case, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.

Putrefactive

Appears with insufficient oral hygiene, the occurrence of ENT diseases (tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, in parallel, the child has a white tongue, a stuffy nose, a cough), stomatitis, caries, low acidity of the stomach (the baby often has a stomach ache), the presence of diseases of the esophagus . You should consult a dentist, ENT specialist, gastroenterologist, systematically brush your teeth with a children's toothbrush and toothpaste, and ensure drinking regime.

Purulent

A pungent purulent odor accompanies chronic inflammation and proliferation of lymphoid tissue in the baby’s nasopharynx. The tonsils become covered with purulent plaque, plugs form, emitting an unpleasant odor. The child has a high fever, a sore throat, a runny nose, and a coated tongue. Contact your pediatrician; antibiotic treatment may be necessary. After recovery, your breath will become fresh again.

Another reason for bad breath against the background of copious discharge of dense yellowish snot can be the presence of some object in the baby’s nostril. Contact your ENT specialist to examine your baby's nose.

Sourish

If your baby has a sour breath, this may indicate increased acidity and an inflammatory process in the stomach. It is necessary to contact a gastroenterologist and check the baby for the presence of gastritis. The second cause of bad breath is reflux, or the entry of gastric juice into the baby’s esophagus. In this case, the patient suffers from heartburn and pain in the hypochondrium.

Sweetish

Does the baby have a cloying sweet aroma from the mouth? There is reason to suspect liver problems. It is important to promptly visit a gastroenterologist - the symptom occurs with hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver.

Chemical

If your toddler smells of chemicals, it is advisable to check the condition of the digestive organs, especially the gallbladder; this symptom is characteristic of biliary dyskinesia.

Chlorine

The specific smell of chlorine mixed with metallic notes appears with increased bleeding gums and periodontal disease. Contact your dentist and check the condition of your baby's teeth and gums.

Yoda

The appearance of the smell of iodine is a reason to urgently contact an endocrinologist, as it may indicate an excess of iodine that accumulates in the baby’s body. This condition can occur after a long stay at sea, after taking iodine preparations, or in the presence of thyroid pathology. In infants, an iodine tint appears when infected with Klebsiella, a bacterium that enters the child's body with unwashed fruit and affects the stomach and intestines.

Bile

If a newborn's breath smells like bile, this may indicate poor bile flow. Consult a doctor, do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs, and take general tests.

Gland

The presence of a metallic taste and iron smell from the baby's mouth may indicate the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia. You should take a blood test to determine your hemoglobin level, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, take vitamin complexes with a high iron content.

The second reason is the presence of gastritis, high acidity, dysbiosis, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Urine

An ammonia smell indicates kidney pathologies, as well as diabetes. The reason for its appearance is a decrease in insulin levels and impaired carbohydrate metabolism.

Kala

It is extremely rare. It is mainly associated with poor heredity, appears with metabolic disorders, and sometimes accompanies acute intestinal dysbiosis. Diagnosed by an endocrinologist or gastroenterologist.

Rotten eggs

Belching, the smell of rotten eggs, and a white coating on the tongue are symptoms of gastritis, ulcers, liver disease, and impaired bile flow. If you find halitosis in a newborn or older child, you should contact a gastroenterologist.

Yeast

If a baby smells of yeast, this is a reason to suspect candidiasis. Often a sick stomach is also expressed by a yeasty aroma. An experienced general practitioner will be able to recognize the true cause, and he will also refer you for examination if gastrointestinal diseases are suspected.

Strange smell from the mouth during ARVI

During illness, ARVI, sore throat, especially in the presence of high fever, parents notice that the smell emanating from the child’s mouth has changed. Unpleasant-smelling pus covering the baby’s tonsils, purulent sinusitis, or the presence of an infection in the lung can trigger the appearance of halitosis, which goes away after the baby recovers. Frequent rinsing of the mouth with antiseptic solutions promotes rapid recovery and relief from halitosis.

Causes of halitosis in children

The appearance of halitosis in children of any age can be caused by a variety of reasons, ranging from insufficient oral hygiene to the presence of a foreign body in the nose. It is important to correctly diagnose, determine the true cause of osostomy and, if possible, eliminate it.

Lack of moisture in the body

Causes increased viscosity of saliva, poor digestion, which can cause bad breath. An infant newborn receives the main liquid from mother's milk; in hot weather it is necessary to give boiled water to drink. A 4-5 year old child should drink approximately 1.5 liters of liquid per day, not limited to juices and teas. It is important to give your toddler drinking water, which helps improve digestion.

Poor oral hygiene

With the appearance of the first tooth, the baby should be accustomed to oral hygiene procedures. Children under two or three years old should have their teeth brushed by one of their parents. From the age of three, children should be taught to brush their teeth correctly on their own. Improper and insufficient cleaning of plaque contributes to the appearance of halitosis, which resolves after thorough brushing of the teeth.

Poor nutrition

If a child systematically overeats, eats fatty fried foods generously seasoned with onions and garlic, a heavy odor from the mouth will haunt him constantly. It is important to adjust the baby’s nutritional system according to his age needs, observing the drinking regime.

Stressful situation

Strong emotional shock, stress, and vivid emotions are a real test for a newborn. They cause dry mouth, which contributes to halitosis. In a stressful situation, you need to give the child a drink of water or sour juice, suck a slice of tangerine or lemon; such simple steps promote active salivation and make the child’s breathing clean and easy.

Unpleasant smell in the morning

Babies may experience bad breath after sleep. It is caused by the fact that saliva is not released at night during sleep, bacteria multiply, causing halitosis. It is enough to brush your teeth with a brush and toothpaste - and the unpleasant phenomenon disappears on its own.

Chronic nasal congestion

If your baby's mouth smells like snot, you need to pay attention to the condition of the mucous membrane of the nose. With chronic rhinitis, nasal breathing is difficult, and dry crusts form in the nasal passages. It is necessary to moisturize the surface of the mucous membrane, monitor humidity, ventilate the room well and carry out wet cleaning.

Presence of a foreign body in the nasal passages

A strong putrid odor accompanied by thick yellow discharge from the nasal passages should alert you. These symptoms are characteristic of a foreign object entering the nasal passages - beads, buttons, a piece of fruit. You should consult a doctor or emergency room as soon as possible to remove the foreign body. Otherwise, serious complications are possible, including suffocation.

Diseases of teeth and gums

Caries, stomatitis, gingivitis and other dental diseases can cause bad breath. A careful examination will reveal a carious lesion in the baby’s mouth. Even if there is no visible damage to the tooth enamel, it is necessary to consult a dentist to rule out the presence of oral diseases.

Upper respiratory tract diseases

Sore throat, tonsillitis, adenoiditis, bronchitis provoke the occurrence of halitosis in children. The pus that accumulates on the surface of the tonsils, in the lacunae, on the back wall of the throat has an unpleasant smell. The cause of the disease should be treated, rinse with an antiseptic solution, and in difficult cases, antibiotic therapy is necessary.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

When a little person’s mouth smells like solvent, sour milk, vinegar, and there is an upset stomach and diarrhea, this indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Consult a gastroenterologist; sometimes it is enough to adjust the baby’s diet, and the problem disappears without a trace. In more complex cases, special treatment is indicated.

Teething odor

When a baby is teething, temporary halitosis may occur, caused by inflammation of the gums and the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. The baby's gums are red, painful and swollen. The dentist will recommend special medications that reduce the baby’s discomfort during teething.

Treatment of unpleasant odor

In most cases, osostomy does not require special treatment. It is enough to systematically thoroughly brush your teeth and gums, review your diet, limit your consumption of sweets, give him enough liquid per day, and the unpleasant symptom will disappear on its own. If after a few days it does not disappear, you need to consult a specialist, undergo an examination and determine the cause of halitosis.

Parents should be especially concerned about the smell of acetone emanating from the baby - in this case, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance or take the baby to the hospital to prevent the occurrence of acetone syndrome.

Preventive measures

To promptly prevent the appearance of halitosis in your baby, you must follow a few simple rules:

1. Brush your baby's teeth thoroughly twice a day, starting when the first tooth emerges. It is necessary to teach your child how to use a brush and toothpaste correctly to remove plaque from the surface of the teeth.
2. Adhere to the age-specific nutrition system, introduce vegetables, fruits, and foods rich in phosphorus and calcium into your child’s diet.
3. Eliminate sugar, chocolate, and other sweets from your diet and replace them with honey.
4. Give your child plenty of fluids, especially drinking water.
5. Visit your dentist regularly to prevent the development of caries.

There are cases when the presence of health problems, in particular in children, is judged by such indirect signs as bad breath in a child. At the same time, he does not feel any symptoms of the disease, does not complain, and behaves as usual.

In such cases, parents' anxiety is completely justified. If this is a signal of a problem, then you should not remain silent about it. It would be a reasonable decision to immediately consult a doctor in order to conduct a reliable differential diagnosis.

Why does this happen?

The physiology of the child’s body is such that any dysfunction can provoke a specific odor from the oral cavity. If we discard the “aroma” that comes after eating actively smelling foods (onions, garlic, radishes, fresh cabbage), all other factors can be divided into two large groups:

1. Caused by hygienic problems.
2. Arising as a result of various types of diseases.

The second group includes infectious and somatic diseases.

Food debris that is not regularly cleaned from the crevices of teeth tends to decompose and rot. This occurs especially intensively in the oral cavity, since this is where favorable conditions exist: the presence of moisture and a comfortable temperature. Putrefactive bacteria, which quickly multiply during these processes, cause a foul odor that comes out.

The second reason is untimely sanitation of the oral cavity. A child's bad breath can be caused by:

• carious teeth;
• sore gums;
• the presence of plaque on the cheeks, tongue and tonsils;
• inflammatory changes in the oral mucosa on the palate, the inside of the cheeks.

In addition, enlarged and inflamed adenoids, discharge from the nasal cavity and nasopharynx (during colds) can provoke an uncontrollable odor in a child when exhaling through the mouth.

About diseases of somatic organs

Pathological processes occurring in the body can also be unpleasantly signaled by the release of specific odors.

1. If the parents’ olfactory organs sense the “aroma” of acetone from the child’s mouth, most likely he has acetone syndrome. It is caused by metabolic disorders, which may be hereditary. Due to the excess of ketone bodies in the body, they are excreted in the exhaled air and urine of the child. Acetone is also present in the exhaled air of patients with diabetes.

1. Defects in the movement of food through the digestive tract lead to the reflux of hydrochloric acid (formed in the stomach as part of gastric juice) into the esophagus. A sour smell comes out through the nasopharynx, depriving the breath of freshness.
2. Ulcerative diseases (stomach, duodenum) destroy the integrity of their mucous membrane, as a result of which substances that smell like rotten eggs begin to be synthesized.
3. Ammonia accompanies the child's breathing if he suffers from diseases of the excretory system, namely the kidneys.
4. If you have liver problems, you can feel how raw liver smells specifically unpleasant.

Depending on individual characteristics, a child may develop his own personal mouth odor. It can be sharp or faded, sometimes depending on the time of day, food eaten, type of activity, mental stress and even mood. Body temperature may not change, appetite and sleep remain unchanged.

You need to be especially critical when such a symptom appears in infants. Their body is massively populated with specific flora designed to break down milk. That is why such children should smell like milk and nothing else.

A change in the air released also occurs in case of nasal breathing disorders. On the one hand, purulent discharge in the nose has an unpleasant specific smell. On the other hand, a child, switching to mouth breathing, helps his mucous membranes dry out and release special, pungent-smelling molecules.

Bad breath can be caused by a number of bacteria, viruses and protozoan microorganisms that cause infectious diseases.

These include:

• helminthiases (enterobiasis, ascariasis, hymenolipediasis and others);
• acute respiratory viral infections and influenza;
• rotavirus infections;
• diseases of the airborne transmission mechanism, starting with respiratory phenomena;
• tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis (caused by streptococci);
• acute intestinal infections such as gastroenterocolitis or food toxicity.

Why else does a child’s breath smell like putrefaction? Diseases of a purulent-inflammatory nature caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococci, pseudomonas and other pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms may also have odor as one of their symptoms. There are quite a few of them, each with their own biological characteristics.

If the smell appears as a result of treatment for a previous disease

There are often cases when children’s breath begins to smell not from the first days of illness. This happens when, when certain symptoms appear, a child is diagnosed and treated. When we begin to perform it, we rarely think about whether there is a downside to such an action. It turns out that it exists. It can manifest itself unpleasantly in two ways:

1. The use of antibiotics can provoke the destruction of healthy beneficial intestinal microflora (referred to in medicine as bisbacteriosis).
2. Allergic reactions to certain types of medications.

In both cases, a symptom of bad breath in a child is possible and even probable. The reasons for this are changes in the immune status of the little person, the formation of specific antibodies and immunoglobulins.

If a child’s breath stinks while taking any medications, this is a signal to stop taking it and consult a doctor to change the prescribed therapy. It should be noted that such a symptom can also be caused by an overdose of drugs. Therefore, saying “no” to self-medication is the sacred duty of parents.

How to help the situation

If your child has bad breath, you can try to deal with it yourself. This will bring results only in the absence of internal diseases and pathologies.

Hygienic reasons can be overcome if:

• brush your teeth regularly, 2 times a day, grabbing your tongue and gums;
• after meals, rinse the mouth with special products or brewed solutions of chamomile, calendula, coltsfoot and other herbs with antiseptic properties;
• promptly sanitize carious teeth, inflammation of the tonsils, septic processes in the nasopharynx and oral cavity.

Bad breath from a child’s mouth caused by illness is not so easy to overcome. The main thing is to pay attention if the child breathes through his mouth and his breath is not fresh.

Substances that increase salivation will help. More frequent rinsing of the mouth mechanically removes foul-smelling particles.

Drying of the oral mucosa can be prevented by humidifying the air in the room and drinking more liquids. There should be no traces of tobacco smoke or overly aromatic compounds in the air. A too hot microclimate also has a negative meaning. Overheating of the body leads to hypersolivation (excretion of fluid through sweat) and subsequent dehydration.

The presence of an unpleasant odor from the child’s mouth will alert the pediatrician and force him to carefully collect an anamnesis of the disease. The first signs of pathology are especially important, since they indicate the root cause.

In the future, monitoring the process using the sulfide method may be recommended. For this purpose, a special device is used - a halimeter.

A visual examination of the ENT organs is a mandatory stage of diagnosis, during which devices such as a pharyngoscope, laryngoscope, and fibrolaryngoscope are used. These devices are types of endoscope with various attachments.

The presence of certain symptoms may indicate inflammatory diseases in the sinuses and brain in general. To reliably assess them, methods such as computer diagnostics, radiography, and tomography are used.

Pathology of parenchymal organs (liver, kidneys) will be identified using diagnostic laboratory tests and clinical tests (biochemistry, general clinical analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent reactions, modern PCR diagnostics).

If no pathology is found during the measures taken, the pediatrician will definitely refer such a child to a gastroenterologist, ENT doctor, or surgeon.

The significance of the symptom of children's bad breath should in no case be underestimated. Being a potential primary sign, it can help to diagnose the disease in time and avoid its consequences. Well, if there is no illness, it’s a matter of hygiene: competent, complete, regular!

Video

Bad breath (halitosis) is not just discomfort and a violation of the quality of life, it is a problem that requires the close attention of parents. Causes , why a child's breath smells like rot , They can be different: serious and easily removable. For example, insufficient dental care can interfere with the freshness of your breath, but it can also be a symptom of a serious illness.

It can even appear in infants. There are many reasons for this, which can be divided into 3 groups:

• local (dental), the causes of which are in the oral cavity;
• psychogenic, caused by psychological reasons (false halitosis);
• general, provoked by a disease of any organ.

If you have bad breath in the morning, this can be considered normal, since food debris begins to decompose and rot overnight. High levels of proteins or carbohydrates in the menu, which are difficult to digest, also cause rotting.

The most common case of odor is considered. Untreated caries develops, the tooth deteriorates, this process is accompanied, especially if it is insufficient. If no caries is found, the gums should be examined. Inflammatory lesions of the gingival tissue (periodontitis, gingivitis) cause an unpleasant odor.

Putrid odor from the mouth at a small child is provoked by a crumb or piece of food that is stuck in the nasal cavity. If the child begins to constantly sneeze or sneeze, then you need to go to the clinic.

Other causes of odor: