What should I do if my baby has bad breath?

Bad breath in babies is a relatively common symptom. The most important reason for bad breath in babies is that the child's digestive system is not yet fully developed, the child's digestive juice secretion is insufficient, and the enzyme function is not yet perfect. In addition, the child's stomach is relatively small. If the child eats too much, it often leads to gastric indigestion, which can easily cause bad breath in babies. Parents must emphasize nutrition and pay attention to diet. Massage can be performed regularly to promote the improvement of the child's digestive ability.

A. How to treat bad breath in children

Children's bad breath can generally be treated with Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine divides children's bad breath into two categories: damp-heat in the stomach meridian and food accumulation.

In the outpatient clinic, we often encounter children with bad breath, but oral examination shows no problems and it is mostly caused by indigestion. Children's bad breath can generally be treated with Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine divides children's bad breath into two categories: damp-heat in the stomach meridian and food accumulation.

Dampness and heat in the stomach meridian

The children show symptoms such as red tongue, yellow tongue coating, bad breath, irritability and restless sleep. Many children also have dry stools. You can take some heat-clearing and dampness-drying medicine under the guidance of a Chinese medicine practitioner. Such as 6 grams of Gardenia, 10 grams of Erhua, 6 grams of Perilla frutescens, 6 grams of Patchouli, and 2 grams of Rhubarb for dry stool. When decocting, soak it in water for 20 minutes. After decocting for 15 minutes, pour out the juice and add appropriate amount of sugar before taking. This recipe is for a daily dose for children around 3 years old, and should be taken twice a day, morning and evening.

Food stagnation type halitosis

It is more common in urban children aged 1 to 6 years old and is related to irregular diet and improper feeding. This type of children have long-term loss of appetite, pale face and thinness, but their spirits are normal. The medication is mainly for digestion and stomach. For children around 3 years old, 10 grams each of roasted malt, Shenqu, and charred hawthorn, and 6 grams of Patchouli can be used, and the method of use is the same as above. Chinese patent medicine can be used in conjunction with Baohe Pills, which help digestion and eliminate accumulation.

Parents are advised not to let their children eat too many snacks, especially sweets before going to bed. You can eat more fruits and vegetables such as apples, red and white radishes, and hawthorn to increase fiber and vitamins to promote intestinal motility, reduce stool accumulation, and avoid getting angry and bad breath.

We should help children develop good hygiene habits, especially those who like to eat snacks. They must rinse their mouths after meals and brush their teeth in the morning and evening. Especially when suffering from acute infectious diseases, they should pay more attention to oral hygiene and clean their mouths in time. They can rinse their mouths with light salt water and drink more cold boiled water to keep the mouth moist and the environment clean, and reduce the occurrence of oral diseases. In this way, children can have "sweet taste in their mouths" and stay away from diseases.

B. Western medicine treatment of bad breath in children

Under the guidance of a doctor, parents can use 1% hydrogen peroxide, 2% soda water, 2% boric acid water, etc., and choose one of them for gargling to reduce and eliminate bad breath in children.

It should be noted that antibiotics should be used rationally to avoid abuse that may induce other diseases and secondary infections.

C. Dietary therapy to eliminate bad breath in children

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that bad breath is caused by excessive stomach fire or the evaporation of dampness and turbidity. In addition to paying attention to oral hygiene, you should also eat foods that have the effects of clearing away heat and dampness, avoiding filth and removing odor. For example, fennel can be drunk as soup or chewed raw, tangerine cakes can be chewed frequently, and black plum preserves can be chewed and dissolved.