Does your child grind his/her teeth? Read this article to lean about underlying and often overlooked causes of teeth grinding in kids and possible consequences.
If you observe that your child is grinding his/her teeth, that is definitely a sign of an ailment called bruxism. It is a very common illness that afflicts up to thirty percent of children. Although teeth grinding in kids reduces over time, it can also last through the teenage age and have ill effects on the patient. It is now time to learn how kick out bruxism before it becomes a real issue with the help of a good TMJ dentist in Houston.
So, what are the causes for teeth grinding in kids (bruxism)?
This condition has so many causative factors and it is never the same for any child. In a lot of times it is as a result of dental problems or a misaligned bite as a result of TMJ problems. Teeth grinding problems can also be caused by stress situations such as anxiety, anger or tension. Finally, it could be a response to teething pain or pains in the ear.
Symptoms of Teeth Grinding
If your kid’s teeth grinding isn’t regular, there may be little harmful repercussions and one may not even notice it. However, severe cases of bruxism may have serious effects and it is easily noticeable because the child may be caught clenching his/her jaw for the entire day or grinding their teeth at night or while sleeping. Symptoms to look out for include:
- Jaw and face pains
- Headaches
- Earaches
- Broken teeth
- Worn-out teeth
- Jaw problems, such as TMJ
Treatment Techniques for Teeth Grinding
Although several kids just outgrow this teeth grinding and clenching, it could continue into adulthood in some cases. If the teeth grinding is caused by stress, it won’t subside till stress is reduced.
A most common medical condition that causes a kid to grind the teeth is called TMJ disorder or TMD. When the jaw joint (TM joint) becomes dislocated we don’t notice it but it effects the whole mouth area and the teeth grinding is the natural response / way to relax tensed muscles and stabilize the way teeth come together. If this condition is left untreated the possible consequences could be: grinded teeth, bone loss, locked jaw, and even severe headaches.
Some of the mostly used treatments include:
- Teaching the kids on how to relax the jaw
- Discourge your kid from chewing gums as this leads to teeth grinding
- Getting a good TMJ mouth guard for your child.
- Comprehensive dental treatment and bite correction
