Have A Child That Grinds Their Teeth? Know These Three Things

If you have a child with a habit of teeth grinding, know that is is something that can cause some significant damage to their teeth. Read on to learn more about teeth grinding and what you can do to help.

Why Teeth Grinding Happens

Teeth grinding often happens while a kid is sleeping, and it can happen due to several reasons. Stress can be a big factor, so consider whether your child is having a particularly stressful time in their life. It could be from something as simple as switching to a new school. Other reasons for teeth grinding are misaligned teeth or an irritant in their mouth. In some situations, allergies can even cause teeth grinding. Removing as many factors as possible can help reduce the likelihood that your child will grind their teeth.

How Teeth Grinding Causes Damage

There are many problems that result from teeth grinding, which starts with the wearing away of the protective layer of enamel. While broken teeth are a rare condition to happen to kids as their bones are continuing to grow, it's more likely to happen if they continue grinding their teeth as an adult.

While your kid's teeth might not have physical damage, grinding can cause issues with them having a headache after waking up in the morning. This can have an impact on their daily life, including how they perform at school. They can also experience discomfort in their jaw due to them working their jaw muscles at night, which can cause their jaw to feel stiff or sore the next morning.

How Dentist Are Able To Help

One of the first things a dentist will do is see if the grinding can be corrected by aligning the child's teeth with orthodontics. Braces can move a child's teeth into the proper position to limit the grinding that is happening.

If irritation is the cause, a dentist will look at teeth that are rubbing on the inside of the cheeks and creating the irritation. A dentist can actually use bonding to smooth out rough surfaces of teeth. Of course, a mouthguard is also an option to prevent the teeth from grinding while the mouthguard is being worn. Your dentist can help create a customized mouthguard for your child, which will make it comfortable and easy to wear at night.

Still have questions about teeth grinding? Speak to your child's dentist or dental hygienist during their next checkup.

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