When a baby has bad breath, what can it mean?

When your baby has bad breath, what it could mean

When a baby is born, questions seem to arise too. Suddenly, we find ourselves questioning the smallest details about baby’s daily life. Do you know what to do when baby has bad breath? And do you know if this could be some kind of symptom? If you also want to know what it can mean when baby has bad breath, come and find out with Baby on Board.

Many mums are surprised when they realise the wide range of issues that become part of their worries after the birth of their baby.

One of these will certainly be related to the baby’s mouth and teeth, leading them to question, for example, when it is appropriate to take the baby to the dentist for the first time, when the first teeth emerge or how the oral hygiene of these first teeth should be carried out.

To these questions, however, can be added others, equally pertinent, when unexpected signs appear in the baby that something is not right. A warning sign for many mums is when they notice that their baby has bad breath.

When they become aware of this situation, it is common for mums to ask themselves what is wrong, what causes the bad smell in their child’s mouth and how they can solve the problem.

Knowing the importance of better understanding the reasons and meanings inherent to a child’s bad mouth odour, today we focus on when a baby has bad breath in order to try to understand the various causes of this situation and when it can actually be indicative of a health problem.

If you also want to know what can be happening when your baby has bad breath, this article from Baby on Board is just for you.

1. When baby has bad breath

It is not very common for us to relate bad breath to babies. The truth is that this type of problem is much more common in adults and almost always denotes poor oral hygiene.

In the case of babies, however, bad breath happens and can mean several different situations.

From nasal obstructions, to infections and also poor oral hygiene, there are many reasons that can lead a child to have a bad smell in its mouth.

In some children under the age of two, however, the oral environment itself can be propitious for the development of the same bacteria responsible for bad breath in adults.

Since this situation may (or may not) spell a health problem, it is very important that mums and dads try to find out the cause of the problem when their baby has bad breath.

2. What can baby’s bad breath mean?

Baby’s bad breath can mean several types of situations. Among the most common is dry mouth, caused by babies sleeping with their mouth open.

The oxygen-poor environment is therefore prolific for the development of anaerobic bacteria, which expel volatile sulphur compounds, responsible for the bad smell in the baby’s mouth.

Another reason that can cause a baby to have bad breath is the usual habit of little ones to put objects in their nose.

The presence of objects (such as coins or small toys) in the child’s respiratory tract causes nasal obstruction which makes the child feel the need to breathe through the mouth, which in turn dries it out and leads to bad breath.

Poor oral hygiene can, also for the youngest, be a cause of bad breath.

Although the first teeth only start to come in after a few months, it is important that oral hygiene is maintained to prevent bacteria from developing and promoting illnesses.

Cleaning the baby’s mouth with gauze or a soft toothbrush is very important to ensure that the baby does not get bad breath.

Finally, bad breath in baby can indicate a health problem, the most common of which are adenoid problems and infections in the mouth or throat.

The fact that inflammations contribute to the bad smell in baby’s mouth makes it more common in some children at the stage when their teeth start to erupt.

3. How to deal with a baby with bad breath

First of all, when your baby has bad breath, it is important to make sure that you take good care of his oral hygiene.

Before the appearance of the teeth, this hygiene can be done with gauze and as soon as they erupt, a soft brush is the best option.

During the night and until the child is three years old, it is especially important to clean the mouth to avoid cavities in the child’s first teeth.

It is also important not to try to hide your child’s bad breath by resorting to “disguises” such as mints.

Remember that the sugar in these sweets will be more harmful to the child’s overall health, including the teeth, and that the solution for bad breath will only be temporary.

If you have any suspicion that bad breath may be caused by nasal obstruction or infection, you should contact