Bad Breath the Less Scent the Better

The Less Scent, the Better

Most children hate garlic, shrink from the sight of onions and steer a wide course around smelly Roquefort cheese. So why do so many kids wake up with breath that smells like the odorous memory of a garlic-and-onion gourmet gala?

There's a good reason why classic ''morning mouth'' is prevalent among many children as well as adults. ''During the day, normal muscle action and saliva wash all the debris out of the mouth. But bacteria counts go way up during the night,'' says Timothy Durham, D.D.S., assistant professor of dentistry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in Omaha. Because of that bacterial action, a child's morning breath is likely to smell . . . well . . . a bit yucky.

Other causes of bad breath could be infections or dental problems. So if your child's breath is consistently offensive, you should take him to the doctor. But, often, bad breath can be sweetened with consistent toothbrushing and a few other strategies suggested by dentists and physicians. If your child's breath has you wincing, here are some ways to make those telltale whiffs go away.

Lend a hand. The better a child's toothbrushing technique, the less likely he is to have bad breath. But learning to brush correctly takes longer than most parents suspect. '' We suggest parents help kids brush their teeth until they're about eight years old,'' advises Eric Hodges, D.D.S., a pediatric dentist and assistant professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Time the toothbrushing. ''Most kids don't brush their teeth nearly long enough,'' says Dr. Durham. To get your kids to brush longer, Dr. Durham suggests making brushing into a game. Place an egg-timer by the side of the sink and have your child set the timer for two to five minutes. When the timer goes off--but not before--he's done brushing.

Make after-meal brushing a habit. '' Your child has to brush after she's eaten to remove food debris from around the tooth and other areas of the mouth,'' says Dr. Durham. An older child can learn to carry a portable toothbrush with her for after-lunch brushing. Or, if she absolutely refuses, encourage her to rinse her mouth with water after she eats.

Go for high tech. ''Get your child a rotary-type electric tooth-cleaning device,'' suggests Dr. Durham. ''Their action is similar to that of dental instruments. They typically do a little better job than regular toothbrushes,'' he says.

Tidy up the inside debris. Even with the best toothbrushing technique, your child may be missing the areas of the mouth that produce plaque--that infamous film of mucus harboring bacteria that produce bad odors as well as tooth decay. Plaque-holding areas, including the tongue and insides of the cheek, deserve special brushing attention.

''Roll the brush gently from the back to the front of the tongue, and take a swipe across the back,'' says Dr. Durham. ''Then roll the toothbrush across the inside of the cheek--or take a washcloth and wipe down the inside of the cheek,'' he suggests. After you've shown your child how, she should be able to do it herself.

Moisten cotton mouth. Excessive stress can cause dry mouth, and dry mouth leads to bad breath. '' When you lose the natural lubricant of the saliva, any debris that's in your mouth cakes to the teeth and the soft tissue and doesn't get washed away,'' Dr. Durham explains. If your child tends to get stressed-out about tests, homework or daily problems, remind her to drink water now and then to keep her mouth moist.

Offer something sour. More salivation can mean less bad breath, since saliva helps to wash away bacteria and debris. Using sugarless sour candy (or chewing sugarless gum) can get the saliva moving.

But beware breath mints and candies made with sugar: These only create fertile ground for more bacteria to grow and produce plaque, which results in bad breath, says Donna Oberg, R.D., a registered dietitian and public health nutritionist for the Seattle--King County Department of Public Health in Kent, Washington.

Hold the mouthwash. Many adults rely on mouthwash to eliminate bad breath, but that's not the best solution for kids. ''Fluoride mouth rinses and mouthwashes are not recommended for kids under age five because these children may swallow some of the liquid,'' says Oberg.

And researchers advise caution in using antibacterial rinses that contain a lot of alcohol, such as Listerine, according to Ronald S. Bogdasarian, M.D., an otorhinolaryngologist at the Catherine McAuley Health Center and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Michigan, both in Ann Arbor.

For the older child who does want to use mouthwash, Dr. Bogdasarian recommends diluting it to one-half or one-third strength by mixing it with water.

Pic and floss around braces. '' With any type of orthodontic treatment, you'll have increased plaque retention and food debris,'' says Dr. Hodges. ''Teach your child to use an irrigation device, such as Teledyne WaterPik, to get around the braces,'' suggests Dr. Hodges. He also recommends a floss threader--a flossing device that allows the patient to thread floss through the orthodontic wires to clean between each tooth. This is a time-consuming procedure, but highly effective. You can get a floss threader from your dentist or at most pharmacies.