Does Your Child Suffer From Bruxism? Know How to Cope
Posted on: 24 February 2021
Hearing strange sounds from your child while they are supposed to be sleeping can be surprising and worrying to most parents. If you suspect your child could be grinding their teeth while asleep (bruxism), read on for more information.
Teeth Grinding and Why It Happens
Both children and adults grind their teeth, but parents are often alarmed when they notice it. In some cases, parents don't so much hear the teeth grinding but they might notice the rhythmic jaw motions that accompany bruxism. Also, the sound may be more difficult to hear than that of an adult partner that is afflicted with bruxism. In many cases, children may grind their teeth due to the discomfort of emerging teeth. They may exhibit this behavior while awake as well as in their sleep when teething is the cause of the issue.
Other Causes of Bruxism
Other than teething issues, medical science has found that most cases of teeth grinding have no known cause. Some have speculated that bruxism may be linked to problems with digestion, parasitic infections, or even stress. Ear infections can be associated with teeth-grinding, and it's worth noting that even young children may have cavities and that can create enough discomfort to prompt bruxism.
How Damaging Is Bruxism?
Parents are naturally concerned about the impact on their child's teeth when they discover the teeth-grinding. You should be relieved to know that, in most cases, teeth-grinding does little to no harm to developing teeth. Additionally, there is currently no evidence that teeth-grinding as a child paves the way for the same behavior as an adult. In many cases, your child will simply grow out of it as they achieve new growth milestones. That said, be sure to let your dentist rule out any medical reasons for the bruxism.
With medical problems like an infection ruled out, parents might want to consider potentially stressful situations like divorce, daycare, a new neighborhood, and more that could be at the heart of bruxism. In cases of stress, children often exhibit additional signs like bed-wetting, baby talk, and more indicating a (temporary) step down in maturity levels.
Make an appointment with your family dentist to find out what might be causing your child to grind their teeth. If your dentist determines that the grinding is causing damage, they might suggest that your child be fitted with a mouthguard. If your child has weak teeth or the grinding continues too long, it could cause their teeth to break easily and even affect the integrity of their bite, which can lead to crooked teeth. Speak to your dentist to find out more about bruxism.
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