Things Parents Should Know about Teeth Grinding in Children

Have you ever checked on your child while they were sleeping only to hear a strange grinding sound? If so, your child may be experiencing bruxism, which is the grinding of teeth or clenching of the jaw. Maybe it’s something you yourself deal with, so it’s not that much of a surprise to you. Teeth grinding in children isn’t necessarily the same in children as it is in adults though.

Signs

The grinding of teeth as your child sleeps is the most obvious sign of bruxism. It’s not the only one though. Children who grind their teeth may complain of headaches, soreness in their jaw, tooth pain or sensitivity, or an earache even when there’s nothing wrong with their ears. You might also observe excessive wearing of the teeth or damage that has been done to the inside of the cheek from accidentally chewing on it.

Reasons

In adults, teeth grinding usually happens because of stress. That can be the case for children as well, but there could be other things behind it too. It could be because of an alignment issue or as a result of the discomfort that happens while teething or because of an earache. There may also be a correlation with hyperactivity in children, as well as other medical diagnoses such as cerebral palsy

Solutions

For children, bruxism often goes away with time. If waiting it out isn’t a good option for your child, there are things that can be done to remedy it. Practicing stress management and relaxation techniques may be helpful if the grinding is a result of stress. There are also special night guards that can be made to fit your child to help. These mouthguards protect your child’s teeth and prevent them from grinding against one another. This can also help relieve the physical tension that can happen as a result of the grinding.

A child grinding their teeth at night is something that should be addressed, even if only by mentioning it to their dentist. It has the potential to cause lasting damage to the teeth, and if nothing else it can be unnerving to hear and disruptive to the sleep of anyone sharing the room. If you hear it or notice signs of bruxism, talk to your child’s dentist about it to determine if any action needs to be taken.

Let us help you with your child’s Teeth Grinding. It’s one of the many things we can do to help your child’s smile stay healthy and strong.