Saturday, August 19, 2017

Halitosis in Children

Dr. Dipika Shah loves helping kids with all their oral health needs, including relief from bad breath. Generally, children suffer from halitosis for the same reason as adults: bacteria build-up. However, they may need some specific attention in order to deal with the problem.


Bacteria build up in creviced soft tissue, such as the tongue and top of the throat. The tongue is easy to clean, but fighting bacteria in the back of the throat may require a specialty mouthwash Dr. Shah can recommend. Bacteria in this region not only feed on trapped food particles, they also feed on nasal drip. Children tend to get more sinus infections than adults, increasing their risk for halitosis, and they are likelier to have undiagnosed allergies.


Dry mouth is another major contributor to bad breath. In children, the most common medications that cause it as a side-effect are those for ADHD and anxiety, but it could also be caused by mouth breathing. This may require attention from a specialist to correct, or it may be related to sleep apnea, which Dr. Shah can provide a snore guard for.


Dr. Dipika Shah, Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, operates at 723 N Beers St, Suite 2F, Holmdel, New Jersey, 07733-1512. To schedule an appointment, call 732-264-8180 or visit DentistNJ.com and fill out a contact form.


 

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