Bad Breath

I would think you may want to bump up the appt. You may also want to consider what she may be eating, or whether she may have some tummy troubles brewing. Just some thoughts~

Could be sinuses-my daughter has had this with sinus infections.. Hope this helps.

My son's dentist actually told me not to use Oral B for my son. He said that it doesn't have anything abrasive in it to actually clean his teeth. Instead, he said to get Tom's of Maine. It's strawberry flavored, and they make it with and without fluoride. He said to use the fluoride one 2 nights a week, and otherwise to use the one without fluoride. It might be different for your daughter because he based his recommendations on how many teeth my son has and where they are (he's almost 2, but he doesn't have his 2-year molars yet).

Its probably her tonsils. My daughter gets like that everytime her tonsils are enlarged; if she complains that her tonsils hurt, she automatically has really bad breath. I never knew that, until her doctor was considering referring her to an ENT and his questions were: does she snore and does she have bad breath? Check into it...maybe she needs her tonsils removed!

Is she getting milk or juice or anything other than water before bedtime (after she gets her teeth brushed)? Milk residue can turn to sugar in babies mouths & create dental issues & bad breath. If she's getting milk or juice, that could definitely be the problem. Although my son (16 1/2 mos) has bad breath when he wakes up in the morning or from a long nap & we do only water before naps & bedtime. Sometimes it can be caused by what they eat that day (sometimes bad breath can come from the stomach) but it could also be her sinuses & from normally breathing through her mouth. I wouldn't change the appointment unless any if her teeth or her gums look bad.

It could be that she is getting sick. I know that my 2 year old gets bad "morning" breath when he has a lot of drainage or a sore throat. I'm not sure why but it happens every time.

We went through this last year (first year in texas) and the doctor said either acid reflux or sinus drainage. Turned out to be sinus drainage and we struggle sept-may to keep it under control. It makes a lot of sense to have the smell after naps if it's drainage.

She may need her tonsils taken out, or she may have a sinus infection.

Rosie

She should brush twice a day at least...when she wakes up in the morning & at least at bedtime. She should brush her tongue too. It'll be weird at first but she'll get used to it after about the third time but it'll be worth it in the end. That should help w/the halitosis. She should also floss before brushing at bedtime, especially if her teeth are close together. I know some children's baby teeth aren't close together like permanent teeth are but it's always a good idea anyway at least for the back teeth. Good luck & hope this helps!

E.,
Does your daughter suffer with sinus or have a cold. Often bad breath is due to an infection. Also, brush her tongue when brushing her teeth. Might help.

Usually my husband or I can tell when the other is going to have a cold because our breath smells bad. Prehaps she isnt feeling well and this is a first sign. Hope not!

This was our daughter's first sign for acid reflux disease. Now she takes Prevacid every day and like magic the odor is gone too! Good luck!

I wouldn't change her dentist appointment unless you notice any red or swelling gums. To me, it sounds like a result of dehydration... Increase her water consumption (especially before nap and bed time) and see if that helps... or do you think she is breathing through her mouth (while sleeping) and drying out the tissues (perhaps because of a pacifier or because of congestion)?

The portion below is from http://ezinearticles.com/?Toddler-Bad-Breath&id=255281

When toddler bad breath is not caused by an underlying condition, the most common cause is probably dehydration. Dehydration can occur easily in a child, and can result from a number of factors: insufficient fluid intake during hot dry weather, strenuous exertion without taking regular drinks, diarrhea and vomiting, consumption of diuretic beverages such as drinks containing caffeine, respiratory infection, and other things.

Bad breath in child dehydration is often initiated by a drying out of the mouth tissues - when saliva production is decreased, the bacteria responsible for halitosis are able to proliferate. The more of them there are, the more severe the toddler bad breath will be.

E., it could be teeth but it could be that her little system needs a good cleansing. When I was little, my mother gave me Phillips Milk of Magnesia...... just a little bit.

I have a booklet called Healthy Kids and in it a mother has written about her daughter's bad breath problem. Here is what she said. "At five, my daughter had swollen glands behind her ears. Whenever she drank milk, she would get bad breath and thrush effect on her tongue." She put her doughter on a Shaklee nutrition program and now her daughter's glands no longer swell and she rarely gets sick.

Peppermint, ginger, fennel and anise are all very good for soothing the stomach. I take tablets will all of these in them. I take three at a time but a child could take only one or you might just try making a little tea with these herbs or one of these tablets. I spend my time helping people find natural ways to take care of their health without resorting to prescription or OTC drugs.

Best wishes for your child and you.

B. K. .... Gramma B.... smile

First, is she getting enough liquids, i.e. water?
Second, does she have sinus drainage, etc?
Third, check the back of her throat to see if her tonsils are enlarged. That was the cause of my sons bad breath at that age.