Prophylaxis
As with adults, proper oral hygiene must be ensured for the little ones. After all, a well-groomed oral cavity offers little room for harmful bacteria. Teeth should be cleaned at least twice a day and the parents should check the success.In addition, a six-monthly checkup of the teeth as well as the corresponding professional cleaning of the teeth at the dentist must be carried out. In this way, the causes of bad breath in children can be quickly identified and, in an emergency, quickly eliminated. This might also be of interest to you: Electric toothbrush for children
Diagnosis
Patients suffering from frequent bad breath (halitosis) are in most cases unable to perceive their own exhaled air as malodorous. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the sense of smell generally only reacts to changes in the concentration of fragrances. However, since the concentration of fragrances remains largely constant with persistent bad breath, the olfactory receptors of the nose perceive it only temporarily and adapt after a certain time so that they no longer perceive a bad smell.
This problem is particularly acute in children suffering from bad breath. Children perceive their own bad breath only in very rare cases. In order to be able to prove the presence of bad breath in children scientifically and medically, different devices are available.
So-called respiratory measuring devices are able to measure the sulfur content in the exhaled air and make it perceptible to the human eye. In addition, a quick test can be used to detect bad breath at home. For this purpose, the back of the hand must be moistened with saliva and then dried.
When breathing on the back of the hand, bad odors can be detected on the back of the hand if bad breath is present. In addition, a so-called gas chromatography using a halimeter (odorimeter) can be carried out, in which the concentration of volatile sulfur compounds in the exhaled air is detected.
