Washington DC Orthodontist Is Grinding in Babies Bad

Grinding and clenching of teeth is called bruxism and happens in children too. In children, the condition can be caused by frustration and anxiety. Over time, this condition disappears and should not be cause for alarm. There are different options of treatment in case it becomes severe.

Anxiety, stress and hyperactivity are common tendencies seen in children with bruxism. Obstruction of the airway and bruxism are connected.

Enlarged tonsils are one of the most common causes of sleep disordered breathing. The airway is normally blocked by enlarged adenoids or tonsils. One notable thing is that this children breath through the mouth. Jaw, teeth and chewing activities increase and it is said to cause arousal during sleep. Severe bruxism in children is a lead cause of frequent arousals and disturbance of daytime functioning.

As they try to unblock the airway to breath and keep it open, children will normally pull there jaw forward. This will end up in the child clenching the teeth because of stimulation of the receptors in the upper airway.

Snoring and mouth breathing are very common symptoms in children and are often considered to be of less harmful by parents.

Children under the age of 5 are more prone to developing the condition than older children. In many cases, children outgrow bruxism by the time they are 10 years of age. When children have misaligned teeth, they are more likely to grind or clench their teeth, which happens when they are deep asleep.

Chipped and sensitive teeth as a result of bruxism in children should be treated seriously because it can eventually lead to eroding enamel. In cases where a child suffers from chronic bruxism, temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ) can develop.

First thing when children experiencing bruxism wake up in the morning they may complain of a sore jaw. Biting on objects such as pencils or fingernail biting could be a pointer that you child could be suffering from bruxism as they also tend to bite the inside of their cheeks.

There is no clear explanation on the direct cause of bruxism in children. If a child got upset or angry during the day, this might show as signs of bruxism when they are asleep. Response to pain can show in clenching or grinding of teeth in children. Teething too can cause brixism in babies. Bruxism can affect children who are hyperactive more than the normal ones.

There is no cause for worrying about bruxism because children will always outgrow it. A child's jaw and teeth grow and change fast and while bruxism could be common it is not really a damaging problem. If the clenching or grinding persists, it is advisable to let the child wear a night guard.

At age 13, most children who grind or clench teeth, ought to have stopped. The case is different when it comes to teenagers as the cause determines how long bruxism lasts. Bruxism can last for ages for example, if the main cause is stress that will not go away. However, if bruxism is being caused by a dental problem, it should stop when the teeth are repaired and realigned. Often this occurs within a few dental visits.