My Girls Are Grinding Their Teeth!

I started grinding when I was pregnant with my daughter. I only grind when I'm sleeping though... even after having her, I still grind. My dentist told me it's one of those things that once you start, it's very unlikely you'll stop. Get them to a dentist right away to avoid any more damage to their teeth. They can get fitted for a mouth guard to wear at night. Warning though... they aren't cheap and dental insurance might not cover it (mine doesn't).

Hi K.,

Teeth grinding can be linked to stress. I know it is in reference to my grandsons. I give them a natural supplement about 30 minutes before they go to bed and they DON'T grind.

Your little ones may or may not be affected by the stress of their loss - of which I am so sorry for you all.

I do know that if left unattended the grinding will eventually mess with the enamel and it's so much easier for cavities to set in.

My advice is to get them to a dentist soon, especially if either one of them complains of tooth pain. My son grinds his teeth and has done so much damage that he had to have some crowns put on. He is four and a half and still has all of his baby teeth, so they have to put crowns on to prevent decay from setting in before they fall out. They do not give any type of mouth guards to young children for fear of choking. So when he gets his permanent teeth, and is old enough, he will probably have to wear a night guard if he does not outgrow it. My husband grinds his teeth-so I know where the problem came from! It's a good idea to have them checked out by the dentist-they can tell you if there is any damage done.

You're a wonderful and caring person. My sons did the same. Took them to the dentist at 24 months just to have things checked out then, to the pediatrician. Eventually they both stopped but, both ended up with braces for two years each. I think its best to do the preventative thing. Cheaper and less stress on the kids in the long run.

My son did that and the dentist told me that its just something kids do and they will grow out of it or should anyway and if they don't by a certain age which i can't remember what it is lol then he told me to go to a store and purchase a mouth guard that football players use.....goood luck.....

First off- I am so sorry for your loss.
I have a very good friend who is a ped dentist. I just eamiled her recently about my kids teeth grinding. Here is her response:

Teeth grinding in children is extremely common! It's nothing to worry about, and it is NOT related to stress.

They grind their teeth for a number of reasons: it makes a cool noise; they like the vibration; it becomes a habit; it gets attention; they are unconsciously adjusting their bite, and it helps to open their teeny little Eustachian tubes. Can't do much about anything but the latter; if you think she might be congested, or have allergies, relieving the source of the allergen may stop the grinding.

Teeth grinding often persists until all their permanent teeth are in, which is around age 12. It can also get worse during the mixed dentition stage (when they have some baby teeth, some permanent teeth). They seldom do enough harm to the teeth to cause concern.

I wouldn't worry, but I might buy earplugs!

Very rarely does it do enough damage to warrant intervention; by the time they wear to a worrisome point, they fall out. I *have* had a few children on whom I've put a protective covering over the worn teeth. It doesn't stop the grinding, just makes them wear through *that* before they get to the tooth structure.

Mouthguards are pretty expensive, and in a child, their mouth will change practically monthly. So every time they lose a baby tooth, or a new one erupts further, you'd need to have it remade. So no, it's not usually recommended. I've actually never done one for this purpose in a child.

I wouldn't worry about it at all at this age.

K.,
I have a great dentist who also specializes in sleep "treatment" (sorry, I don't know how else to describe it). They are a husband and wife team and they have taught me something new everytime I've been in! They are Dr. Rand (Samuel) and Dr. Laura at Ironhorse Dental on 151st & Nall in Overland Park. I highly recommend taking your children to them and discuss the options you have!
God bless,
S.

I sometimes grind my teeth in my sleep and found that stress was the cause. Major life changes (marriage, moving, new baby) triggered the activity. These kids are obviously dealing with some major life events as well. I did finally chip a tooth and went to the dentist for a mouth guard to wear at night. I would recommend the same for the kids.

Both of my boys as well as myself do this at night. I would tell you the best thing is to take them into the dentist as soon as you can, explain what they are doing and get their advise. I have a mouth guard, my boys don't as of yet, but if they are grinding so hard that they are chipping teeth they will most likely get one too. I understood from the dentist that after wearing the mouth guard for so long your body will get used to not grinding and eventually you will stop. Mine has gotten so much better now, I used to wake up with my jaw hurting because I had ground my teeth so hard. Anyway, I hope this helped!!

Kudos to you. What a great angel to take the role of mom for your sister. Sorry for your loss.

I do agree that a mouth guard at their age is not very practical. I am an adult that did have to get a orthodontic mouth guard to wear at night when I do my "best" grinding.It does help with the soreness in face from grinding but I have worn it for 7 years and still grind to this day. I did have some coverage through insurance but still had to set up a payment plan for the rest and the fitting process is too much for a child to go through at best.

The advice from the lady from her Peds dentist friend is the best I read and I agree with. I would for sure get them set up for a regular "well check" with a dentist anyway and go from there. The girls may not even know that they are grinding anyway, my sister was about the same age when she started 20 years ago and she would grind so hard I could here it in the next room! She never seemed bothered by it and I swear she has the best teeth of all 3 of us no braces for any of us. So I don't see any worry over any issues of teeth formation.

See the dentist and keep regular visits twice a year from them on.
Bless you and give them huge hugs!
:~)