Teeth grinding in children

[admin]

When a parent hears their child grinding their teeth it can be rather distressing. Bruxism is however very common in children, and is usually nothing to worry about.

Children are most likely to grind their teeth when their milk teeth are coming through as well as when the first of their adult teeth come though. In most cases they will simply grow out of the habit given time.

Teeth grinding does lead to many problems, such as premature wear of teeth and in extreme cases disorder of the TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint - jaw joint). However, teeth grinding in children is rarely severe enough to harm the TMJ and is usually too short-lived to cause much wear on the teeth. In fact whilst they have their milk teeth, wear on the teeth generally isn't worth worrying about, as the teeth will be replaced with new ones.

There are some severe cases of bruxism in children though. If you notice your child grinding his/her teeth you should monitor the situation and bring it to the attention of your dentist. If the child doesn't grow out of the habit it would be best for them to start wearing a nightguard.

Teeth grinding isn't always due to new teeth either. Children can suffer for bruxism for the same reasons that adults do. So it's worth asking yourself whether your child could be stressed for some reason. It's sometimes hard to imagine how a child could be stressed, but it does happen. Examples of things that could stress out a child are, bullying, problems at home, changes to their routine (changing school or having a new teacher) etc.. Addressing these issues is, of course, worth doing in its own right.

[Guest]

Hello. I recently noticed that our 4 year old son is grinding his teeth at night. Upon examination, his lower front teeth are almost worn to the gum, all other teeth look OK. His bite seems normal and he doesnt suffer stress or anxiety. Is it likely that this habit will stop when his adult teeth appear or should we take action now? Are most dentists qualified to deal with this problem or should we try to find a specialist?
Thank you. Rory