How to safely treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old

Bad breath is a condition in which breath has an unpleasant odor. This condition is common in adults but can occur in children. Children under 1 year old are mainly breastfed but there are still cases of bad breath. To alleviate the condition, mothers need to choose safe measures because newborns are still weak, unlike adults. Understanding this concern, My Auris dentistry shares someways to treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old through the following article. 

Causes of bad breath in babies under 1 year old

Children under 1 year old are mainly fed breast milk or formula milk, so their mouth mainly smells of milk, so they rarely encounter cases of bad breath. However, if not cleaned thoroughly, it will cause plaque and milk residue to stick to the tongue, causing the child’s oral cavity to smell bad. 

In addition, some diseases such as coughs, sore throats, and upper respiratory tract infections are also a risk for bacteria to enter and nest in the oral cavity, causing unpleasant odors in the child’s mouth. 

In addition, some children have the habit of sucking on pacifiers, toys or thumbs, which also causes bacteria from outside to enter the oral cavity, multiply and develop, creating unpleasant bad breath.

Bad breath mouth not only makes the baby feel uncomfortable, anorexic, and has a poor appetite, but is also a warning sign for parents about a number of related diseases such as gingivitis, upper respiratory tract infection, etc. Therefore, if you see signs of bad breath, parents should not be subjective but need to pay attention to oral hygiene, and take the child for a health check as soon as possible. 

Here are some safe ways to treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old that parents should refer to and apply:

Clean tongue for children – How to treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old 

For children under 1 year old who have bad breath and cannot clean their teeth themselves, mothers need to clean them regularly.baby’s tongue and gums. And make sure your baby’s oral cavity is always clean to prevent unpleasant odors. 

Attention should also be paid to tongue-twisting for children to be done properly and scientifically to avoid affecting the child:

• Step 1: Mothers should wash their hands thoroughly before touching their children’s tongue. Use 0.9% physiological saline and sterile gauze to perform tongue scraping for children. 
• Step 2: Place the baby on the arm, wrap gauze around the mother’s index finger, then soak a little salt water and rub the tongue. 
• Step 3: Move the gauze-wrapped finger in the baby’s mouth from the cheeks, the areas around the teeth and finally the tongue. Tongue-tipping for babies is gentle, and mothers need to comfort their babies so they don’t get uncomfortable and cry. 

Mothers should perform tongue cleaning for children when they are hungry to avoid stimuli that cause vomiting and nausea. 

Change the child’s diet

For babies over 6 months who have started to eat solid foods, mothers should pay attention to their diet to avoid bad breath. Mothers should limit giving children foods with strong odors such as onions and garlic. Instead, mothers should supplement foods rich in vitamins A, C, B, and K to help their babies eat well and help keep their breath fresh. 

Adjust your baby’s behavior – How to treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old 

Do not let your baby suck his thumb or soak dirty toys. Mothers should clean the house and regularly clean their baby’s toys to avoid bacteria from outside entering the baby’s oral cavity. Ideally, mothers should not let their children suck on pacifiers. 

Let your child drink plenty of water

Young children are still not aware of their health and bad breath how. Therefore, to keep children’s mouth moist and limit dry mouth, parents should do thisRegularly let children drink water, ensuring enough water during the day. Because dry mouth also causes children to have bad breath. 

Take your children to see a doctor

Parents need to take their children to the dentist and have regular health checks at reputable facilities/hospitals. The doctor will examine and diagnose the cause of whether the child has dental problems or a disease in the body. From there, the doctor offers a treatment plan as well as instructs parents to take care of their child’s oral health appropriately and properly. 

• Clean your tongue with Malabar leaves: prepare a handful of Malabar leaves, wash them and put them in the pot. Then, add a little salt and boil the water. When the water boils, turn off the stove and wait for the water to cool, filter out the residue, then use this water to brush your baby’s tongue. 
• Clean the tongue with chives: wash the chives and crush them, then put the leaves in the pot to cook similar to sweet leaves. Then, strain the water and use it to brush your baby’s tongue. 

Both of these leaves have antiseptic, bactericidal properties and effectively clean the oral cavity. However, because the ingredients are natural, it needs to be maintained regularly to get the best results. 

In addition, Oriental medicine remedies are also ways to treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old that mothers can refer to:

• Tulsi vegetables: boil the vegetables well and use as a daily mouthwash for children. 
• Chinese scent: use 1 handful of Chinese scent, wash it and put it in the pot. Boil the water, add a little salt and use as a mouthwash for children. This method is highly appreciated by mothers who have used it because it not only helps reduce bad breath for children but also helps them eat better. 

Through the information in the article about how to treat bad breath for babies under 1 year old, perhaps mothers can gain some knowledge and experience from there, knowing how to take care of their children’s oral health. Especially, even if young children have not yet grown teeth, they still need to pay close attention to oral hygiene and make an appointment as soon as possible. 

Anh Thy