A Parent’s Guide to Helping a Child Who Grinds Their Teeth

Teeth grinding can be referred to as bruxism. It is a condition whereby old and young people will grind their teeth while they’re asleep. It cannot result in any issues unless your child grinds their teeth regularly. You’ll incur tooth damage, among other complications that will negatively impact your oral health. If your children are grinding their teeth, you need to take them to a dentist who is kid-friendly. The dentist will evaluate the situation and recommend a suitable way to ensure the child stops grinding their teeth.

There are instances when your child will grind their teeth while they’re awake. In most cases, this happens as you’re concentrating on something fiercely. You’ll find yourself clenching your teeth and jaws as you focus on a task intensely. When you grind your teeth, the people around you will be upset. It’s the same case as snoring. It’ll interrupt other people while sleeping.

Why is Your Child Grinding Their Teeth?

Parents should know that teeth-grinding is alarming, and the sound from such activities is not pleasant. It is common for children to grind their teeth for some time, and they can outgrow the habit eventually. There is no apparent reason why children will grind their teeth when asleep or awake. However, there are numerous identifying factors.

There are different pains common to children, including an earache or a toothache. The grinding action will ensure the child will get through the pain they’re experiencing since they’ll have a sense of relief as they grind their teeth. When you’re in pain, you can focus on specific activities as a way of deflecting the pain.

For older children, when they’re stressed, they can start to grind their teeth. It can be that exams or tests are coming up, and the child is worried that they may fail to excel. In other instances, the child’s routine might have changed after moving to another state or country. Children value their routines, and when changed, they’ll become anxious. It’ll take them some time to settle down.

Family issues will also cause stress in children, and they’ll start to grind their teeth. For instance, there may be a new addition to the family, or the parents are not getting along well, and they argue a lot. If the family is torn into two and one parent moves out, such problems will result in stress, and your child will grind their teeth as a coping mechanism.

How to Stop Teeth Grinding in Children

If the child is grinding their teeth, they can stop at some point, and they won’t engage in such activities again. If you feel the condition will go on for quite some time and your child’s wellbeing will be affected, ensure you’ve liaised with a kid-friendly dentist who is conversant with how to handle some of these issues.

The child might be given a nightguard, which protects the teeth and ensures they can’t grind their teeth. The night guard will ease the habit. Suppose the reason behind the tooth grinding is psychological and when the child takes medication, they start to grind their teeth as a side effect, as a parent. In that case, you can help them calm down during the evening by taking a warm bath and listening to soothing music.