Does Your Child Grind His Teeth At Night? (Bruxism)

Parents are often concerned about the nocturnal grinding of teeth (bruxism). Often, the first indication is the noise created by the child grinding on their teeth during sleep. Or, the parent may notice wear (teeth getting shorter) to the dentition. One theory as to the cause involves a psychological component. Stress due to a new environment, divorce, changes at school; etc. can influence a child to grind their teeth. Another theory relates to pressure in the inner ear at night. If there are pressure changes (like in an airplane during take-off and landing when people are chewing gum, etc. to equalize pressure) the child will grind by moving his jaw to relieve this pressure.

The majority of cases of pediatric bruxism do not require any treatment. The good news is most children outgrow bruxism. The grinding becomes less between the ages of 6-9 and children tend to stop between the ages of 9-12. If grinding continues into the permanent dentition, (age 12 and up) a night guard may be indicated to prevent wear to the permanent teeth. Your pediatric dentist can help determine if a night guard is appropriate for your child.

 

For information on special oral health care needs, we've provided links to the following sites:

National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
Resource & Information on Cleft Lip & Palate
National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias