8 Month Old Grinding Teeth

Babies who get several teeth will "try them out" and this doesn't always include biting - they will grind. Teeth feel pretty cool to them. A baby grinding their teeth does not necessarily mean that they will end up with TMJ. Grinding teeth is not even a sign of tmj.(However, since both you & your husband have it, I"m sure the ped already knows to watch out for it.)
I would suggest bringing it up at the next ped visit. The ped can take a look at the teeth and decide if a dentist visit is necessary. Some grinding is more severe than others. At the most, baby will get a protective covering over her teeth later on.

My daughter would grind her teeth at the same age as your daughter. It made us cringe worse than fingernails on a chalk board. I too thought I should be concerned, but she outgrew the more her teeth came in more. Perhaps the novelty of additional teeth and getting use to that sensation in her mouth wore off.

My son, who's 3 now, began grinding his teeth in his sleep when he was 2. I asked both our pediatrician & dentist (both of whom I trust implicitly), and they both said not to worry - that it didn't necessarily indicate a problem, and it wouldn't create a long-term problem. I haven't noticed him doing it for the past few months though.

Others may have different information for you, but if you are concerned, call your dentist or ped. I know sometimes that's the only way I get peace of mind!

Good luck!

Just ditto-ing the other responses, both my boys would grind thier teeth fora few months after getting the first ones, and then again when the molars came in around a year old. The 'newness' wears off and they stop doing it.

Hi J.!
Both my kids used to grind their teeth when they first came in. I was annoyed and concerned so I called my dentist who nicely informed me that it is pretty common and they should grow out of it before they get their molars. I wouldn't worry too much about her bite and such yet. She is teething and these are new things in her mouth, she's experimenting :)

J.-

I'm a dental hygienist and there is no reason for concern at this age. Your daughter is getting used to having something new in her mouth that feels different and makes cool noises. Adults clench and grind because they have stressors in their lives or their bite is off.

It's a phase, although disturbing as it sounds, it will pass in a few weeks.

When my daughter started doing grinding, I was extremely bothered by it even knowing the reasons why infants do this, but as with everything else the phase has passed.

Try to relax on this one and even though it's horrible to listen to, it will end soon.

Sincerely,
J.