How to stop teeth grinding among kids
Teeth grinding is clinically referred to as bruxism. It is an unconscious habit of grinding teeth. Bruxism occurs among both adults and children. The occurrence of teeth grinding amongst children is usually found while they are asleep. Teeth grinding can occur at any age however generally found amongst children of ages 5 and 6. Over time it disappears by itself.
Causes:
- Baby teeth are not growing normally
- Stress due to piling of schoolwork, tests, and pressures from other kids.
- Anxiety or worries due to reasons like a new sibling etc.
- It's common among hyperactive children.
- Improper alignment of bottom and top sets of teeth
Signs of Teeth grinding:
- Sore jaw or face
- Thumb sucking
- Nail biting
- Gnawing on pencils /pens/ toys
- Chewing inside the cheek
Effects of teeth grinding among children: There are no major harmful effects of teeth grinding among children.
- Teeth grinding may damage the enamel of child's teeth however it's not harmful as once a new set of well aligned teeth appear, the teeth grinding habit would automatically disappear.
- It's harmful if it continues even after the child has developed new set of permanent teeth.
- In case of extreme teeth grinding some physical problem like face sore, headache, ear ache, sore jaws and damaged enamel may occur.
How to stop teeth grinding among kids:
- Be alert if your child has a problem of sore jaw in the morning, sucks his thumb, bites on the inside of his cheeks, or makes a harsh noise with his mouth while sleeping, This can be bruxism.Try to find out if your child is stressed out due to some reason. Resolve the issue and grinding may stop.If your child has a jaw pain or damaged teeth, contact dentist for proper check up.
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Stop your child from chewing pens, pencils, straws or toothpicks, and avoid giving him chewing gum.
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Provide your child with water throughout the day. Teeth grinding often occur when an individual becomes dehydrated.
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Make sure your child has a comfortable sleep. Do not give the child chocolate or flavored milk especially before sleeping. The caffeine in the chocolate and the sugar in the flavoring can keep him up or make him restless.
As far as treatment is concerned, most children outgrow the habit of teeth grinding in the normal course of their development. Keep your child stress free and make sure to give them a comfortable sleep.
