Pediatric Dentistry of Redlands

Their bodies are drastically changing and it may be difficult to tell the difference between their everyday smells and the trouble of bad breath that is brewing beneath the surface. Halitosis or bad breath may not be caused by the food they are consuming, but it may be caused by something else going on in their bodies. Bad breath can be embarrassing and cause self-esteem issues for your teen. While mouthwash only gets rid of the problem temporarily, utilizing a mouthwash that has a plaque-reducing label can take care of the problem. Plaque is the thick, sticky buildup that can happen on your tongue. When not taken care of it can lead to bad breath even if your teen is brushing and flossing regularly. You may not always be able to tell if you have bad breath. Consuming gum once you have eaten, if you are unable to brush your teeth right away, can help to decrease your chance of bad breath as well as cut down on the bacteria in your mouth that can le...

When your children hit the teenage years, it can be difficult to investigate and find out where the most recent smell is coming from, but if you notice their breath smells worse then normal it may be a problem going on in their mouth that requires further investigation. Here are five of the most common problems that occur to cause bad breath in teenagers. 1.      It could be the food they are consuming. Onions, garlic or coffee are some of the foods that cause the worst problems. Simply avoiding these foods or chewing on a piece of sugarless gum after consuming these foods may help. If not it may be necessary to brush your teeth immediately after eating these foods. 2.      Dry mouth. "Teenagers need to drink plenty of water to avoid their mouth feeling dry," says Dr. Fuller . Dry mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria that can lead to problems with bad breath. Saliva is necessary in order to moisten their mout...

Bad breath is caused by odor producing bacteria in the mouth.   We don’t expect our children to have halitosis, but unfortunately it can happen. Bad breath can be very embarrassing for your school-aged children and should be taken care of immediately. It might be important for you to have your child visit their pediatric dentist in order to take care of the problem. Bad breath is not something you want to let go. Mouthwash does not prevent bad breath or fix bad breath. Mouthwash can rinse away and freshen their breath temporarily, but once the mouthwash wears off they will be back to having smelly breath. There is some mouthwash that is better at reducing plaque then others and, if that’s needed, Dr. Fuller and his team can help make recommendations. Brushing can treat bad Breath. Dr. Fuller states, “But unfortunately there are children who brush and floss on a regular basis and are still impacted by bad breath.”   Brushing can remove any su...

            While bad breath can impact our children on a regular basis some of the reasons are simple with a simple fix, mentioned in Monday’s blog. However, sometimes there are more serious causes that parents should be aware of. Your child may have an infection, more serious disease or other mouth or throat condition, or their bad breath may be due to a medication they are currently taking.   No matter the cause, if bad breath persists and does not go away with increased brushing and flossing, or if your child already has good brushing and flossing habits, Dr. Cameron Fuller recommends making an appointment with a pediatric dentist to have them evaluated.             Certain medications cause a dry mouth.   Saliva helps clean and remove particles in the mouth. If your son or daughter’s mouth is really dry due to a medication the food p...