Why Do Toddlers Grind Their Teeth At Night?
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The moment you step into parenthood, you are bestowed with the power of worrying about everything concerning your child. Even ordinary occurrences might appear as catastrophes when it happens to your child. So we can only imagine what you are going through when you detect your child is grinding their teeth in their sleep. Teeth grinding is not uncommon among infants, and there are many old wives’ tales surrounding this phenomenon. While it is not the most soothing sound you want to wake up to, there are reasons why your little one does this in their sleep. Here in this article we have discussed what makes your little one rely on grinding their teeth in their subconscious mind and how to make it stop the right way. Read on!
In This Article
What Causes Tooth Grinding In Infants?
If your child grinds their teeth in their sleep, there could be several triggers. Here are some of the most common reasons behind teeth grinding.
1. Teething
Babies teething could unintentionally resort to bruxism (grinding teeth at night) as a coping mechanism to alleviate the discomfort of the process. It can begin as early as the age of six months and continue for a while till the whole set of teeth is out.
2. Improper Dental Alignment
Another reason some toddlers clench their teeth is because their dentures haven’t yet aligned properly, causing the upper and the lower teeth to misalign. So at night, when they are asleep, they try to align their teeth by grinding them against each other.
3. Stress
Some toddlers, despite the stereotype that they are more likely to produce stress than to suffer from it, have strong sentiments about things like changing childcare providers, getting additional siblings, or perhaps even picking up on family tension. This could make them clench their teeth and give way to disturbed sleep.
4. Ear Infection
Ear infections in toddlers can cause them to grind their teeth to relieve the pain. If your child’s grinding is coupled with other symptoms like pushing on the head or acting distressed, it’s worth taking them to the doctor for an ear examination.
Does Bruxism Cause Harm To The Teeth?
Even though most children grow up grinding their teeth at night, they are unlikely to cause any harm to their oral health. For the most part, the practice of rubbing one’s baby teeth will be outgrown by the time a child has all of their permanent set of teeth. However, an appointment with a pediatric dentist can help decide if your child is one of the few who needs treatment for bruxism if you’re worried they’ve been grinding their teeth for more than a few weeks.
How To Avoid Nighttime Teeth Grinding
It may take time to stop children from grinding their teeth, mainly if the underlying reason is discomfort linked with newly formed teeth. Here are some ways to minimize the teeth grinding habit.
1. Reduce Stress Triggers
There’s no one way to totally eliminate teeth grinding, but if you believe that the family’s stress is higher than it needs to be, strive to alleviate the problem. Stress reduction can be addressed by talking to your doctor or contacting a family counselor.
2. Use A Mouth Guard
Teeth grinding in adults is commonly treated with a mouth guard, but a dental crown may not be appropriate for toddlers since their teeth are still growing, and they may not feel confident falling asleep with something in their mouth. So it’s wise to make an appointment with your dentist before investing in a mouth guard.
3. Refreshing Evening Bath
Giving a warm bath before bed can also help your baby sleep soundly and relieve them from the symptoms of teeth grinding. Ensure your baby is fed, burped, bathed, and covered when sleeping.
It might seem like waking your baby up will cease the grinding, but that is not true. Instead, it might cause more harm than good. Upon waking, most babies are prone to resume grinding and wake up crankier than before. So, if you suspect that your babies’ teeth grinding is caused by stress, you can relax them with the help of soothing massages and music. Toddlers who grind their teeth might benefit from a combination of these three approaches: time, patience, and ear plugs for you if noise is genuinely driving you nuts!
To wrap it up, it is a phase that will go away with time. As new parents, it is natural to freak out and be tense about every little change with your newborn. However, keeping your calm is the key to good parenting, and if you feel something is not right, you can always research it and consult with your pediatrician. So, what is your take on bruxism? Let us know in the comments section! Happy parenting.
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