In the Know for You to Know

You walk into your child’s room to check on them after they’re asleep, you hear what sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard and you think “Oh no, they’re grinding their teeth. But do children grind their teeth?”

According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about 3 out of 10 children grind their teeth, and that’s before they’re 5 years old. So yes, teeth grinding is fairly common for children.

What Is Tooth Grinding?

Tooth grinding, is also known as bruxism. Bruxism is when your child grinds or clenches their teeth together. This can occur unconsciously during the day or at night while they are sleeping.

What Are The Signs My Child Is Grinding Their Teeth?

There are usually 6 signs to look out for that your child is grinding their teeth —

• The grinding, nails on a chalk board sound,
• Their teeth are getting shorter because they are getting worn down and becoming more sensitive,
• Their teeth look flatter especially the eye teeth (aka canines),
• Their jaw joints (aka Temporomandibular joint or TMJ), jaws and/or cheeks are sore in the morning,
• Their neck muscles are tight and painful in the morning,
• They have a headache in the morning.

While children may let you know about most of these signs in the morning, they can also occur during school, after school, and in the evening.

Why Do Children Grind Their Teeth?

Young children such as toddlers and preschoolers usually grind their teeth as a way counteract teething discomfort or pain. They’re getting new teeth so this is also a way for them to learn how to place their teeth together.

Most school age children between the ages of 6 and 9 stop grinding on their own.

For the school age children, tween and teenagers who still constantly grind there could be a few reasons why —

• It could be a sign that they are stressed. We don’t usually think that children have stress, but they do. There’s school work, home work, tests, sports, after school, in other words lots of reasons to be stressed,
• Their teeth aren’t lining up in a way that’s comfortable for them to bite together and they’re searching for the right spot for all their teeth to fit together comfortably,
• Some medications,
• They may not be getting good sleep due to things like nightmares, night terrors, snoring, sleep apnea,
• Ear infections cause a buildup of pressure in the middle ear and a child may grind to compensate and try to equalize what they’re feeling.

Can Bruxism Cause Problems?

Chronic bruxism can cause ongoing problems such as —

• Worn off tooth enamel
• Fractured and chipped teeth,
• Tooth sensitivity,
• Jaw pain,
• Jaw joint issues,
• Headaches.

How is Bruxism Treated?

Toddlers and preschoolers grind their teeth usually when they are teething. To help with the teething pressure you can try a clean cool wet washcloth, you hold the cloth while having them bite on it. The coolness of the washcloth helps soothe their gums.

For older children who haven’t stopped clenching and grinding their teeth, like school age, tweens and teenagers and you’re concerned that it’s damaging their teeth or causing jaw pain, your pediatric dentist can sometimes fabricate a custom night guard. A night guard helps cushion the impact from grinding, which can help prevent damage to the teeth and jaw joint.

If teeth clenching and grinding is part another sleep issue like snoring or sleep apnea, it’s important for you to speak with your pediatrician before your child’s next appointment.

As A Parent, What Can I Do To Help My Child?

Help your child, no matter their age, feel relaxed and comfortable before bed by establishing a calming bed time routine —

• Set a regular bedtime and wakeup time every day,
• Encourage beds are only for sleeping, no electronics or doing homework in the bed
• Set up their room decor in a warm, welcoming, comfy and cozy way,
• Have them take a warm bath or shower before bed,
• Older children may want to listen to their favorite book on a podcast,
• For younger children, reading their favorite stories or books together,
• You may want to start the evening with their favorite music or some calming music and have some fun,
• You may want to turn on an app with some calming water sounds, white noise, nature sounds,
• As an after school activity you may want to consider children’s yoga,
• Try to find out what’s causing the grinding. This may take some detective work and part of that is talking with your child to see how things are going, if anything has changed, anything new at school or with sports…

If you’ve tried and it’s not working, then it’s best to speak with your pediatrician and pediatric dentist to help you delve deeper and help you get the right treatment.

What To Remember

Often, the first indication that your child is grinding is the noise created by the clenching during sleep; or, you may notice their teeth getting shorter. 

There are many thoughts as to why this occurs. Stress or inner ear infections are only 2 likely causes.

While the majority children may outgrow this or not require any treatment, there are children who need to see their pediatric dentist and pediatrician to address the cause of their bruxism and provide treatment.

If you suspect bruxism or have any concerns, always discuss this with your pediatrician and pediatric dentist.

Do you grind your teeth? Have you heard your child gnashing their teeth together? What have you done to help stop the grinding? Tell us, We’d really like to know! Send us an email to kidstoothhotline@proton.me Like Us or Chat with us on Facebook at facebook.com/kidstoothhotline

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!

More tips? We have lots. We’re here just for kids!