Is It Normal For Young Children To Grind Their Teeth?

By Sonia Gallat

When small children grind their teeth at night, is that a serious problem that should be looked into? Usually the reason why a young child will grind their teeth is because their teeth are growing in, breaking through the skin, and other things are changing in their mouth as well. These things can all be very annoying and as a result the child develops a habit of grinding their teeth.

At what age then does teeth grinding become a problem? The answer to that question depends on what age the child is. The older the child, the more of a problem it might be. It is not common for older children to grind their teeth and if yours does then it could be a good thing to go see a dentist. You want to try to stop the habit before any real damage occurs.

If you suspect your child has been grinding their teeth for too long a period, a trip to your pediatrician may be in order. You must know though that there is no specific cure for bruxism (grinding teeth) so you doctor may not be able to pinpoint the reason or give you a cure. Every child is different and if yours still grinds their teeth past the point where they should have stopped, you may have to try many different things including getting a mouth guard.

Adults are usually made aware that they might be grinding their teeth from their dentists who see the wear from years of grinding. Something like bruxism may not show up for years as teeth are strong and there will be no evidence of it right away. This is why sometimes a spouse may be the only one who knows a person is a grinder by hearing the grinding at night.

With a child this wear to the teeth may not have time to show up because there is no evidence of it yet. Parents of small children are usually the only ones who know it is happening as they can hear their child grind while they sleep. If you are a parent who suspects you child may be grinding their teeth, you should talk to your childs doctor to see if there is anything he might suggest to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem. - 29879

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