As an adult, you know how embarrassing and unpleasant bad breath can be. If you have bad breath, you know all the things to try to remedy the problem, and, if nothing else works, you know to come in for a dental appointment to see what’s causing your halitosis.
When your toddler suffers from bad breath, however, it can be more difficult to diagnose and treat the problem.
A recent study shows that 23 percent of young children have halitosis. In kids, as in adults, tongue coating, inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), and tooth decay are the most common culprits. Bad breath is caused mostly by volatile sulfur compounds, which are smelly by-products of the breakdown of proteins and sugars by bacteria in the mouth. […]