Teeth grinding during the night or day is commonly found in adults. You would be surprised to know that it is also found in children.
Research says that 40% of children across the globe face problems with teeth grinding during sleep.
Often, teeth grinding is not seen as an issue in children, and people do not opt for any teeth grinding treatment. This makes the teeth-grinding issue prevail in children for years, making it a lifelong problem. Moreover, teeth grinding issues can lead to major dental issues like tooth chipping or cracking, leading to the need for advanced dental treatments.
Teeth grinding, mainly found in children, need special care and treatment. Today, this blog will let you know the root causes of teeth grinding in children. Moreover, you will also get to learn some measures that could help you resolve the teeth-grinding problem in children.
What is Teeth Grinding?
Teeth grinding, commonly known as bruxism, is unconsciously grinding or clenching the teeth together. Bruxism is usually of two types: sleep bruxism, which generally occurs during sleeping hours, and awake bruxism, which is seen during the waking hours.
Children are usually seen grinding their teeth while sleeping. Teeth grinding in children is not a primary concern until it is done occasionally. Regular teeth grinding becomes a significant concern, and a perfect teeth grinding treatment solution is needed.
Major Teeth Grinding Causes in Children
Bruxism occurs in children due to various factors that include environmental changes, family history, or psychological issues. However, dentists have not been able to find the exact reason behind bruxism found in children. Here, we have listed the most common causes of teeth-grinding in children.
Mental Stress and Anxiety
It might seem to be unbelievable, but it’s true. Children also face stress and anxiety. It can be due to various reasons. Some children might face stress due to school, while some might face stress due to the changing routines. Besides, children must deal with anxiety due to family problems and environmental changes. Some children might be unable to express their nervousness to their friends and family, eventually leading to teeth grinding.
Age
Children of different age groups have various reasons behind teeth grinding. For instance, infant children would grind their teeth to relieve the discomfort they usually face during the teething phase. Infants cannot describe their pain and discomfort in words and that’s why they would grind their teeth.
Besides, infants deal with sleep bruxism due to the separation they undergo from their parents. The same reason applies to toddlers who have just entered the schooling phase. It is common to see a preschooler grinding teeth who is separated from their parents.
Teeth Misalignment
Misaligned teeth or malocclusion is another reason for pediatric teeth grinding. Children with dental issues like overbite or underbite usually grind their teeth during sleep hours.
The children do not do it consciously. Instead, their body would make it happen. To align the teeth in a proper place, the child’s body would make them grind their teeth during their sleep hours. Misaligned teeth might seem like a minor dental issue for your children, but it can cause severe outcomes in the long run. That’s why it becomes necessary for you to consult a child dentist to get a perfect solution for teeth alignment at an early age.
The pediatric dentist would recommend various options for teeth alignment that could help your child align their teeth without facing much pain or problems.
Improper Sleep Routine
Children who face problems breathing while sleeping usually face issues with teeth grinding. Their body would subconsciously make them grind their teeth to overcome the breathing problem.
Besides, the children having snoring problems or not following a proper sleep routine would also seen grinding their teeth while sleeping.
Hyperactivity
Children with higher energy levels during the day can also be seen grinding their teeth during sleep. Hyperactive children remain for the entire day.
Due to their higher energy levels, they do not even get easily sleep. In order to surpass their energy levels and relax such hyperactive children during sleep time, their bodies grind their teeth.
Teeth Grinding Treatment for Children
You can relieve your children from teeth grinding in numerous ways.
- One of the primary treatments is having a dental guard implanted for teeth grinding on your child’s teeth. The device will prevent the children from grinding teeth while sleeping.
- Interacting with your child daily could help them describe their thoughts and relieve stress. In most severe cases, you should consult a mental health professional or a child counsellor for stress relief treatments.
- If your child is facing any dental issue like underbite or overbite, you should consult a pediatric teeth grinding specialist who will help your child overcome dental problems effectively.
- A proper sleep routine can give your child a good night’s sleep without teeth grinding.
- If your child is hyperactive, you can follow some activities that could increase their energy levels before sleeping. Relaxing activities would relax their body and mind and allow them to sleep comfortably.
Conclusion
Teeth grinding is one most common things you would find in children. However, it becomes an uncommon thing when children start doing it on a regular basis. It can have several causes, such as stress, age-related dental issues, misaligned teeth, improper sleep routine, and hyperactivity.
Although numerous ways are available to resolve the teeth-grinding problem in children, consulting a pediatric dentist would help you determine your child’s teeth-grinding problem effectively.
WoodleighWaters Dental Surgery has years of expertise in curing teeth-grinding problems in children. Our dental experts will thoroughly examine the root cause of your child’s teeth-grinding problem and suggest treatment accordingly.
Contact us now to get teeth-grinding treatment for your children in Berwick.