Children with Bad Breath, Dry Mouth May Have Sleep Apnea

Many children more children than previously expected suffer from sleep apnea, a team of researchers announced at this year’s annual meeting of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.

Sleep apnea, a condition that has many side effects, was previously thought to primarily affect adults, leaving parents and caregivers confounded about strange symptoms their children were experiencing, like daytime sleepiness and bad breath.

Bad breath is linked to the dry mouth caused by sleeping with your mouth open, which is pretty common when you have sleep apnea. Previously, dentists attributed bad breath in children to several things, including tooth decay, post-nasal drip and even acid reflux, but generally not the dry-mouth of associated with snoring and sleep apnea.

Why Does Tooth Decay Cause Bad Breath?

Infection in the tooth can cause some tooth decay symptoms, one of which is mouth odor. This is also associated with gum disease, and is the result of bacteria fermenting in the mouth.

Other tooth decay symptoms associated with mouth odor include dry mouth and a foul taste on the tongue. This can be not only uncomfortable but also socially awkward, which is one of the reasons why patients run to the dentist.

My Child’s Teeth Have a Clean Bill of Health, But He Still has Bad Breath – What Next?

If your child has chronic bad breath that can’t be attributed to tooth decay, be sure to ask your dentist to run more tests to determine the root cause of the odor.