Do you hear something go bump in the night? If it’s coming from your child’s bedroom, they could have bruxism.

Did you know that kids can suffer from bruxism too? Here’s how to tell if your child has bruxism and what to do about it.

Bruxism is a condition that many children experience as they grow up. Although most children eventually grow out of it, for some, it can follow them into adulthood.

So what is bruxism? Simply put, it’s involuntary teeth grinding or clenching and can affect anyone at any age, including toddlers. There are two basic categories of bruxism: nocturnal bruxism and awake bruxism. Nocturnal bruxism occurs while we sleep and is the most common form of teeth grinding. Awake bruxism, on the other hand, occurs during the day while we’re awake. This form of bruxism is less common as our protective neuromuscular reflexes are stronger while we’re awake.

What are some reasons that might be causing your child to grind their teeth?

It might sound cliché, but many underlying reasons could cause your child to start grinding or gritting their teeth in their sleep. These triggers can be due to environmental, emotional or genetic factors and depend on their age group.

Bruxism at every age

Infants

In general, infants engage in bruxism to self-soothe during teething. Bruxism typically doesn’t last long in infants and isn’t anything to worry about.

Toddlers

It’s believed that bruxism in toddlers occurs due to emotional distress, often triggered by separation anxiety.

School-aged children

For school-aged children, there can be many triggers of bruxism. Teeth grinding and clenching may begin in children who are growing their adult teeth or due to teeth alignment issues. Like adults, children can also grind their teeth during sleep as a coping mechanism to release daytime tension and stress from school, chores, changes in routine, arguments, and internal and external pressures. Research has found that children who naturally worry more or are restless are more likely to engage in bruxism. Bruxism is also more prevalent in children with other conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, neurodevelopmental or autism spectrum disorder, and sleep-related disturbances and disorders.

Why is bruxism a problem?

For the most part, it isn’t a problem. However, aside from loud grinding noises waking up other family members, those who experience bruxism can also experience:

1. Frequent headaches or migraine

2. Ear, jaw or facial pain

3. Tooth damage, including fractured, chipped or sensitive teeth, eroded enamel, receding gums, worn down teeth and tooth loss.

4. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)

5. Facial appearance changes due to the growth of jaw muscles.

   Severe cases of bruxism can also increase the risk of your child developing eating disorders, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety and sleep issues.

   When your children begin experiencing these symptoms as a result of bruxism, it’s time to seek professional help. Give Maidstone Dental a call today to see how we can help your child deal with their bruxism and prevent permanent oral damage.

   How is bruxism diagnosed?

   Early stages of bruxism rely on witness accounts to diagnose. For example, parents seeing their child grind their teeth while doing homework or siblings who share a room hearing grinding noises during the night.

   Some signs that your child has bruxism include:

   1. Grinding noises while they’re sleeping

   2. Complaints of sore jaws or faces, especially right after they’ve just woken up

   3. Tooth damage, including worn down teeth or receding gums

   4. Sensitive teeth

   5. Frequent headaches or clicking jaws from the constant pressure of clenched teeth

   6. Increase in size of their jaw muscle

   If you suspect your child is grinding during their sleep, book an appointment with Maidstone Dental now. We’ll check for damaged teeth, unusual wear and tear, and sensitivity to confirm your suspicions and provide a solution.

   How can you help your child overcome bruxism?

   For most children, bruxism is a condition that they grow out of and doesn’t usually need treatment. However, to reduce the occurrence of grinding, we need to treat the root cause. If your child’s bruxism is stress-induced, it could be helpful to have a conversation with them about their worries and fears from a place of openness and understanding. If the issue is more complicated, reach out to a medical professional, such as a doctor, dentist, or mental health practitioner, to find the cause of the stress and devise a plan to address the problem.

   It can also be helpful to create a bedtime routine designed to unwind and destress. This can involve a warm bath, soothing music, dancing, or reading. It’s also noted that sleep bruxism is associated with the quality of sleep your child receives. To promote good sleep hygiene, ensure that their room is dark and quiet, eliminate technology an hour before bed and reduce the amount of sugar in their diet, especially before bedtime.

   Bruxism won’t be cured overnight. As a result, it’s imperative we put in place measures to protect from the consequences of bruxism – particularly ones that damage your child’s oral health. When you book an appointment with Maidstone Dental, we’ll make sure to do a thorough examination of your child’s teeth and assess the situation. From there, we will fix any existing damage, including cracks and fractures in the teeth and prescribe a protective mouthguard. The mouthguard is moulded to your child’s teeth and will reduce the rate of grinding and protect their teeth from any damage. These mouthguards must be fitted professionally, as sometimes an ill-fitting, poorly-made mouth guard can worsen the problem.

   If you’re worried about your child’s teeth grinding or have any more questions, call Maidstone Dental. We’ll work with you and your child to address the problem head-on.