Why does a child grind his teeth

Not so long ago, parents, having heard that the baby began to grind their teeth, ran to the pharmacy and bought antihelminthic drugs. They were sure that the nightly grinding of teeth, or scientifically bruxism, was a sign of the appearance of worms.

Doctors today consider this a delusion. But even now, on various forums, moms write in a panic: the child grinds his teeth like that at night, it’s already scary! And they are answered: give anthelmintic, that’s all! Or – ignore it! It will just pass!

Both of these pieces of advice are wrong and even dangerous.

Of course, if there are other symptoms (appetite has increased, but the weight is not growing, intestinal problems, nausea, headaches, brittle nails and hair), you need to be tested for helminths. But in most cases the reason is different. Or rather, there are several of them. And each of them requires the attention of parents. True, you should not worry too much: according to doctors, about half of the children grind their teeth, especially in their sleep. But this problem cannot be dismissed either. After all, grinding your teeth can destroy enamel and even lead to tooth decay. And also in some cases testify to diseases: endocrine and neurological. The main thing is to understand the causes of the creak.

Causes of teeth grinding in children

What is teeth grinding? These are convulsions, a sharp contraction of the masticatory muscles as a result of tension. The lower jaw hits the upper jaw, moves, and that terrible sound is heard that frightens the parents.

To be honest, the causes of these seizures are not fully understood. But the precipitating factors are well known.

1. The first reason is the wrong bite. When the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth and strike each other, creating a clicking sound. Relaxation of the jaw muscles does not occur, which is very harmful. In this case, you need to see an orthodontist to prevent curvature of the jaw apparatus.
2. The second is overexcitation, stress. The child ran, saw enough cartoons, played enough computer shooters. He fell asleep on his own, but the excitement remained.
3. The third reason is the presence of adenoids or difficulty in nasal breathing. As a rule, chewing muscles can also be reduced in convulsions from this.
4. Heredity. Sometimes this muscle contraction is transmitted genetically – from moms and dads. Parents should be asked if they have experienced any of these symptoms.
5. Neurological or endocrinological diseases. They occur infrequently, but if the attacks of grinding teeth last more than 10 seconds and are often repeated not only at night, but also during the day, the child should be shown to the doctor.
6. Eruption of milk teeth. Sometimes this process leads to short nocturnal cramps of the masticatory muscles and grinding of the teeth. But with the appearance of a tooth, the creaking should stop.

At night, in a dream

If a child grinds his teeth at night, and at the same time swallows saliva, champs, even talks in his sleep, his breathing quickens, his pulse is most likely the cause of bruxism – nervous overexcitation. This happens especially often in emotionally mobile children, and in boys more often than in girls.

The reasons for anxiety are varied. Perhaps the child was overworked before going to bed. Played outdoor games or watched “horror stories”. Or he has problems in relations with others: he went to kindergarten or school and does not yet feel at home there. You have moved to another house or another city. It is even worse if there are tensions between households: dad quarrels with grandmother or mom and dad quarrel. During the day, the child is still holding on, and at night these worries do not allow him to relax, he clenches his jaw, trying to cope with stress.

Sometimes a creak at night can be provoked by an incorrectly standing, protruding filling – check the child’s mouth to see if everything is fine there.

If the problem is in the adenoids, you will notice that the child breathes with difficulty, sniffs, or even sleeps only with his mouth open. And even during the day his mouth is ajar. In this case, you should immediately see an ENT doctor.

In the afternoon

If your baby is under three years old and is grinding his teeth during the day, he may just be teething and he reacts to it this way. The gums itch, hurt, and the child clenches his jaw to get rid of discomfort. Or he has some kind of discomfort due to the emerging malocclusion.

If the creaking does not stop with teething, you need to see a doctor.

If your child is older, with an overbite, everything is in order, but the daytime creaking does not go away, most likely the child has a lot of stress. As a rule, children grind their teeth during the day, they are extremely excitable, with a delicate nervous system. And your task is to help them overcome stress. Perhaps the child will need the help of a neurologist or endocrinologist, whom you should definitely visit with him.

Treatment of teeth grinding in a child

Treatment for bruxism in children is not always required. It depends on the cause that causes it, and on the severity of the problem. If a child grinds his teeth for a long time and many times a night or day, the help of specialists is needed.

For starters, you should see a dentist to rule out malocclusion and other problems with jaw development or dental disease. An orthodontist can recommend special jaw exercises to help relieve tension and relax the chewing muscles.

Then you should consult with a neurologist or pediatrician. If the reason for squeaking teeth is adenoids, the ENT doctor will decide whether they should be removed. If, nevertheless, the child grinds his teeth due to stress, the neurologist will prescribe sedative drops, physical exercises, and develop a daily routine for the child. It happens that it is not possible to finally establish the cause of the squeaking of the teeth or the treatment does not work. In such cases, the child is prescribed to wear a dental splint: it is put on at night to prevent the erasure of tooth enamel and the pathology of jaw development. For wearing during the day, a mouthguard is made, which is almost invisible on the teeth.

Prevention of grinding teeth in a child

The best prevention of a disease is to eliminate its cause. Therefore, excitable, emotional children should be calmed before going to bed. Do not let him run, play outdoor games, cut into computer shooters, watch horror stories on TV – you need to turn it off altogether. Instead, it is better to take a walk before going to bed, read a non-terrible fairy tale, and talk affectionately with the child. And in no case do not scold him and do not quarrel with him.

A warm bath, light massage soothes children well. Two hours before bedtime, the child should not be fed. But to give a hard apple to gnaw, a carrot is very good. The jaw will get tired from work. And it is easier to relax during sleep.

As a rule, in most children, subject to simple rules, the creaking of the teeth disappears by the age of 6-7 without additional treatment. But to decide whether it is necessary, the doctor still has to.

The main advice for parents: If your child grinds his teeth at night, you should not panic. But you need to consult a doctor.