REALLY bad breath in toddler.

[Santosha]

For the past week or 2 DD has had really bad-breath . It's not really noticeable during the day, but at night when she snuggles up to me... well, it STINKS! I do have super-sensetive preggy nose, but I don't think it's just me.

I'm worried that it's either her teeth - we do brush them but don't use toothpaste as I gather you shouldn't until she knows how to spit - or that there's something else I haven't thought of.

She's not sick otherwise and her bowels are normal and regular. Any thoughts as to what might be causing it and how to fix it???

TIA!

[MummaBee]

You can buy baby safe toothpaste from the chemist thats ok for them to swallow. Other than that maybe thrush what colour is his tongue? If its white then maybe you could take him to the doc, or even a dental check up. I know that the two year old molars come in around two so maybe its just excess saliva.

[delphmoon]

Is it a fruity smell?

[Janie71]

Is she teething? My DD gets bad breath when teething and she is getting 2 of her 2 year old molar's at the moment!

Janie xxx

[Traveller]

I second that you can use toothpaste now as long as it is a baby safe one. You can get organic ones if you are so inclined. However my immediate thought is that she might have a bit of a tummy upset, as this will cause bad breath in otherwise normal toddlers (or at least it always has for my children). Alternatively she might have a viral throat infection but is otherwise asymptomatic.

By all means take her to the dentist, but I wouldn't worry unless the bad breath has been there for over a month or if you can see an infected tooth.

[RhiChiChi]

My gf DS used to get bad breath when he was suffering from tonsilitis - she isn't sick is she?

[Olive]

bad breath can be caused by a few things, tummy and lung problems are just two, can you floss her teeth??? get the ones with the floss on the stick

[Life is Good]

Sorry, I cannot advise re the bad breath but can make a toothpaste suggestion. Did you know that you can buy natural toothpastes that they can swallow (though probably shouldn't!)? We have been using it with DS because he still doesn't know how to spit. We just use a pea-size amount. You can get them from most health stores and they also make them in kiddie flavours.

[Santosha]

Thanks all. Her 2 yr old molars are starting to bulge a bit but not cutting just yet. She doesn't seem sick otherwise - no cough, runny nose, skin a good colour, plenty of energy and pretty chipper - but have noticed that occasionally she also smells a bit sick IYKWIM. That kind of stale, musty smell through hair and on skin. Will try baby-safe toothpaste first and then if it's persisting might also check out flossing and consider digestive issues. Thanks again for the tips.

ETA - oh yeah, and no it's not a fruity smelly. Just kind of stale and off

[Taurean]

DD had shocking breath when she was diagnosed with tonsillitis. She was cutting her eye teeth at the same time. It was foul

[RhiChiChi]

Glad to hear your DD is well overall. Maybe it is time to put like a tiny, tiny bit of toothpaste on her brush (it will foam a fair bit) and show her how to spit it out - that is how we taught DD - showed her how to spit it out. Initially she sort of just opened her mouth & it 'fell' out but then she got the gist of it fairly quickly. GL

[Marnikat]

She hasn't stuck something up her nose? I know it sounds strange but if something is stuck up there and left long enough it can cause bad breath. Just an idea? Good Luck though!