Toddler Bad Breath: How to Get Rid of It

While most bad breath triggers, such as poor oral hygiene, eating smelly foods, or dry mouth, can easily be treated at home, other causes can indicate a more serious problem. Here’s what to look out for if your toddler has stinky breath.

Improper brushing and flossing of your toddler’s teeth can result in leftover food particles on the tongue, gum line, and between teeth which interact with natural bacteria found in the mouth to create bad breath.

Additionally, abscesses, cavities, and tartar buildup can also be a cause of halitosis.

Ingesting Smelly Foods

Everyone knows that pungent foods like garlic and onions are a surefire recipe for bad breath, and your child is no exception. Limiting these foods in their diet can help keep your toddler’s breath fresh.

Mouth Breathing & Dry Mouth

Saliva in the mouth is crucial to cleanse away bacteria and keep bad breath at bay. If your toddler breathes through their mouth (when sleeping or due to a stuffy nose), dry mouth, or xerostomia, can occur causing bad bacteria to grow and gases to be released from the mouth. You can counter this by encouraging your child to drink three to four glasses of water a day.

Illnesses & Infections

A less common cause of toddler bad breath is illnesses and infections, such as sinus infections, tonsillitis, or seasonal allergies where mucus from the sinuses is introduced into the mouth. Conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, where stomach acids bubble up the esophagus, can also contribute to foul breath.

Toddler bad breath happens, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Depending on the cause, those unpleasant smells can be treated by simple improvements in their oral care routine or by visiting a dentist.

Brush Twice a Day: Make sure you brush your child's teeth twice a day, making sure to get plaque along the gum-line and clean bacteria off the tongue with Crest Kid’s Cavity Protection Toothpaste. It's recommended that parents brush a child's teeth until they turn eight years old.

Floss Daily: Remove any food particles that can build up between your toddler’s teeth by flossing them daily with Oral-B Glide Floss.

Visit the Dentist: Avoid toddler bad breath and other oral care concerns by scheduling regular check-ups and professional cleaning with your family dentist.

Learn more about when to take your baby or toddler to the dentist.