Children should smell like milk, candy and childhood. But sometimes parents notice that the child has bad breath. This is most noticeable in the morning after sleep. At the same time, the baby is healthy, active, does not complain about anything, is not sick with anything. With questions about the reasons for such an unpleasant phenomenon, mothers and fathers turn to pediatricians, dentists, other parents, on the Internet, and, quite often, to the authoritative doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky.
About the problem
Doctors are precise people, they like to organize and name everything. There is a "name" and such a phenomenon as bad breath - halitosis. Medical encyclopedias describe it as a symptom of certain diseases of the stomach and intestines, as a sign of a violation of the oral microflora. The term does not denote an independent disease; medicine considers bad breath to be an exclusively external manifestation of certain internal problems.
And although bad breath has been known to physicians since time immemorial, it was decided to call it an independent name only in 1920, when it was very necessary to somehow identify the problem in order to make a successful advertising campaign for a mouthwash. The product, by the way, has been and is being sold quite successfully now. And the name just entered the reference books.
Komarovsky about the problem and the reasons
The reasons for the appearance of unpleasant amber from the mouth of a child may be different. But almost all of them ultimately boil down to the fact that the smell is a consequence of the multiplication of bacteria in the oral cavity. In this case, microbes secrete special substances containing sulfur components. It is this substance that is responsible for the bad smell. Usually saliva has a detrimental effect on microbes, it literally paralyzes them and prevents them from multiplying. But if the properties of saliva, its composition are violated, the saliva itself is not enough, then the bacteria feel themselves "masters of the situation."
Lack of saliva or a change in its chemical composition lead not only to the appearance of an unpleasant odor, but also to the occurrence of certain bacterial infections - in the nose, in the larynx, in the bronchi and trachea, in the ears, for example. And this is quite natural, since the reproducing harmful microorganisms need a new living space, the oral cavity is no longer enough for them.
Officially, medicine calls one of the reasons for the appearance of bad breath diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but Evgeny Komarovsky is convinced that there is no such relationship at all. If only for the reason that the smell from the esophagus cannot enter the mouth through a special "valve" that closes the digestive organs.
But the food that the child took can greatly affect the appearance of the smell. For example, if he ate garlic, grapes. This smell should not be a cause for concern, as it goes away on its own.
Bad breath can also be a concomitant symptom of diseases of the nose, or rather the maxillary sinuses. Then the stench is associated with the accumulation of pus in them. The same symptom accompanies sore throat, when bacterial inflammatory processes occur on the tonsils, in the larynx. Even with the usual small runny nose, the child begins to breathe through the mouth, saliva dries up, and pathogenic microbes get a favorable environment for reproduction.
The main reasons for the appearance of an unpleasant odor will be described by Dr. Komarovsky in the next video.
The most obvious cause of bad breath is dental problems. It is easiest to install it, it is enough to carefully examine the teeth, and if the beginning caries, swelling of the gums, their redness, swelling are noticeable, you should go to an appointment with the children's dentist. After eliminating the cause, the smell will disappear on the same day.
In addition, there are other reasons, which medical specialists will help to establish at a personal appointment.
Odor specifics play an important role in diagnostics. For example, the smell of acetone can be a sign of acetone syndrome, diabetes, gallbladder problems. The sweetish smell should alert most of all, as it is often accompanied by serious liver pathologies, hepatitis, severe depletion of the body.
The smell of ammonia from the mouth may indicate possible problems with the liver, metabolism, an excess of proteins that the child receives from food. And the smell of drugs is usually not dangerous, it quite naturally occurs when taking certain medications, for example, vitamins or antibiotics.
In any case, bad breath in a child cannot be ignored. The sooner you see your pediatrician for a personal appointment, the sooner he will establish the cause and help you choose a treatment strategy. The disadvantage of modern healthcare is that doctors, unfortunately, determine the nature and intensity of bad breath empirically, smelling on their own. For accurate diagnosis, a special device is needed that determines the amount of sulfur in the exhaled air.
But the analyzes of feces, blood and urine, loved by our children's doctors, which prescribe all children with complaints of bad breath, are absolutely useless. This ritual is rather a tribute to the tradition of the old pediatric school. They are made because it is customary to do them every time you contact the clinic with any complaints.
Treatment
In the case of liver damage and diabetes mellitus, as well as other serious causes of odor, all recommendations of the attending physician should be followed. If the reason is in violation of the microflora of the oral cavity, that can be dealt with independently.
Getting rid of such a bad smell is easy enough, says the famous pediatrician. It is enough to be attentive to the air humidity in the apartment where the child lives. Too dry air dries out the oral cavity. It is best to keep the humidity level in the house at around 50-70%. For this, Evgeny Olegovich recommends buying a special device - a humidifier.
To maintain a sufficient production of saliva, Evgeny Komarovsky advises giving the child to drink lemon water - plain water or mineral water without gas with the addition of lemon juice and a large lemon wedge. The acidic environment will irritate the taste buds, saliva in response to irritation will begin to be produced more actively and microbes in the oral cavity will not be good. The doctor emphasizes that sometimes it is enough just to show the child a slice of lemon, if he is already familiar with its taste. Saliva in this situation begins to be released reflexively.
In case of an unpleasant odor against the background of a runny nose, the doctor recommends doing saline rinsing of the nose and giving the child more to drink. As soon as nasal breathing is restored, the saliva stops drying out.
Tips
- Saliva will be secreted in sufficient quantity to resist microbes, if the child has a normal drinking regime, the parents do not allow dehydration.
- Most of the bacteria that are "guilty" of halitosis live on the tongue and the inside of the cheeks, especially if they have plaque. If the child's age allows, the doctor advises teaching the child to clean the tongue with a special brush.
- To brush your child's teeth, choose a paste with a pleasant pine scent and completely discard rinses that contain alcohol, as they additionally dry the oral mucosa.
- There is a myth, especially supported by grandparents, that close contact of a child with domestic cats and dogs can cause bad breath. The four-legged have absolutely nothing to do with it, there is no need to drive out the cat or give the dog into good hands.
