The Bad Breath Blog

Bad breath in children can get worse throughout the day because as they breathe, their mouth becomes dryer, allowing bacteria to grow. Children need to see a pediatrician especially if they have to breathe out of their mouths due to colds, sinus infections, allergies, or bigger-than-average tonsils and adenoids blocking their nasal passages. Thumb sucking can also dry out the mouth.

For children, here is a list of uncommon bad breath odors that may be a sign of a much more serious health complication:

• Acetone – diabetes or acetone, alcohol, phenol, or salicylate ingestion
• Ammonia – possibly a urinary tract infections or kidney failure
• Asparagus – eating asparagus (yes, it may happen)
• Bitter almonds – cyanide poisoning
• Cat’s urine – odor of cats syndrome (beta-methyl-crotonyl-CoA-carboxylase deficiency)
• Celery – Oasthouse urine disease
• Dead fish – stale fish syndrome (trimethylamine oxidase deficiency)
• Fresh-baked bread – typhoid fever
• Foul – tonsillitis, sinusitis, gingivitis, lung abscess, or dental cavities
• Garlic – arsenic, phosphorus, organic phosphate insecticides, or thallium poisoning
• Horse-like (also described as mouse-like or musty) – phenylketonuria
• Rancid butter – rancid butter syndrome (hypermethionemia and hypertyrosinemia)
• Raw liver – liver failure
• Sweaty socks – odor of sweaty feet syndrome (Isovalryl CoA dehydrogenase deficiency) or sweaty feet syndrome II (Green acyldehydrogenase deficiency)
• Violets – turpentine poisoning

Also, don’t forget that little kids often stuff things in their mouth or noses, so always pay close attention, especially if there’s discolored nasal discharge.

Source: Alan Greene MD FAAP