How do I help stop my 7 year old son grinding his teeth while he sleeps?

Answer 1

It is very common for children to grind their teeth in their sleep. There is no need for concern, and certainly no need for treatment. It is not a sign of "stress", and I have never (in 25 years) seen any significant damage come from this habit.
The only warning is to make sure your child is not drinking acidic drinks such as cordials, soft drinks, or juices more than 2x daily. Sometimes the erosion caused by these drinks will lead to excessive tooth wear, and the child will subconciously grind more than normal to keep their bite even.

Answer 2

Please note that none of the preceeding answers are from dentists.

I can not state emphatically enough that you should never, ever consider getting (or making) an appliance to stop tooth grinding in a seven year old. This would stop proper growth and development of the jaw where the appliance is worn.

It is my opinion that baby teeth are designed to be worn away as the jaws grow and develop. This allows for different growth rates and it allows for the accommodation of the permanent teeth with their much more pronounced cusp forms when they start to come in.

You may wish to ask your dentist to check for underlying problems, but 99% of the time - if not more - this is just part of being a seven year old.

Answer 3

A mouth guard is the only solution for anyone who grinds their teeth. The dentist can fit him for one rather easily. It will prevent a lot of damage that could be done over time/

Answer 4

1. Make an appointment with your dentist, who will make a custom mouthpiece for you to wear at night. This will prevent further damage to your teeth and may reduce your tendency to grind.

2. Ask your dentist to file down your "high spots," which are any teeth that interfere with a comfortable, aligned bite.

3. Hold a warm, damp cloth next to your face for 10 minutes before you go to bed to help calm your jaw muscles.

4. Relax before bedtime by meditating, taking a hot bath or stretching.

5. Reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption.

6. Learn to reduce stress. Take stress management classes and learn relaxation techniques.

Answer 5

Dr.'s Night Guard. They should have them at any drug store. A little costly but worth the investment compared to having work done by the dentist. The guard can be form fitted to your son's teeth. Here's a couple links- the second one I found while looking for the first.

http://www.dental-mart.com/bfonsizdocfo.html

http://www.walgreens.com/brandstore/brandlist.jsp?CATID=304623&orderBy=pricePerPackage&ext=goosleepright

Hope this helps and have a great day!!!

Answer 6

He can get fitted for a mouth piece. I am older and have ground my teeth while sleeping since I was a kid. Sometimes my husband even wakes me up because it's so loud. Good luck.

Answer 7

His dentist or orthodontist can make a mouth guard specially fitted to his teeth.

Answer 8

I work for a dental lab and you can order a mouthguard through his dentist, they are not very expensive and they are thin
he can wear it while he sleeps and it will eliminate the grinding.

Answer 9

Check with your family doctor. generally grindinging of teeth while in sleep is due to worms in the stomach(ascaria). need to de-worm your child.

Answer 10

You could take him to dentist and get a dental splint made. I wore one for several years