My son grinds his teeth when he sleeps how do i stop this?

Question

Sorry to the people that have already answered the question. My son is two years old.

Answer 1

I'm a dentist.

Leave it alone. Bruxism is very common among children, and usually subsides as they get older and their occlusion (i.e. bite) is established.

In rare cases, bruxism can be severe to the point where the child is absolutely destroying his/her teeth and/or damaging his/her temporomandibular joint. In such cases, treatment is warranted. Again, this is very rare, and your child's dentist would likely catch this during a routine clinical exam and/or on routine dental radiographs.

A panoramic radiograph is highly appropriate on children between the ages of 7 and 10--just to make sure everything is looking normal. Admittedly, other doctors may only choose to take panoramic radiographs when children are in their teens.

VERY IMPORTANT: Some idiot above me suggested that your child wear an occlusal guard, based on his/her "25 years of experience in the medical/dental field". Obviously, they haven't learned a damn thing. Occlusal guards are semi-rigid to rigid devices. And what do rigid devices do to the jaws of children who are growing? They modify the growth of the child's jaw. Sounds like a pretty f-ing lousy idea to put a child in an occlusal guard, now doesn't it!

Let this be a lesson to you, and to all of you who ask health-related questions on these boards. The vast majority of people answering your questions have no clue what the hell they're talking about.

Answer 2

Thank you Nebula! You are so right. This is one area where non-informed people really have no business offering advice. Children and adults are so very different when it comes to grinding.

Here's my "stock" answer. It uses the age five, but I do not know how old your child is. I assume he is a young child, since that is usually who these questions are for.

DO NOT GET A BITE APPLIANCE MADE FOR A YOUNG CHILD!!! Don't have any sleep studies done, either.

I can not state emphatically enough that you should never, ever consider getting (or making) an appliance to stop tooth grinding in a five 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 five year old.

Answer 3

I grind my teeth when I sleep and so does my boyfriend. If you can find a way to stop then please let me know, but I don't believe there is a way. I have a mouth gaurd that my dentist had to make for me. It hasn't stopped me from grinding, because there the gaurd has flattened out and I have chipped some teeth since I got it.

Answer 4

What I do and what a 2yr old can do is chew on something right before bed. Maybe a apple or something that takes a bit of chewing to swallow.
He will tire his jaw out and will not grind his teeth as bad at night.

I would also talk to a dentist .

Christy

Answer 5

Bruxing can be due to an airway problem. Get his airway checked (he may have enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids). If he is an older son (sorry but you didn't state his age), find a dentist that has a rhinometer and a pharngometer these instruments can check nasal and oral airway passages and can see whether his airway collapses.

Answer 6

My cousin always would grind her teeth at night and she stopped when she started eating carrots before she went 2 bed..it works!!

Answer 7

Take him to a dentist- i know it's not comfy at first but they'd probably recommend a night guard- to wear over his teeth at night to stop that. Otherwise there is some herbs and med.s to help relax him at night - if all else. Try the night guard first though! good luck....

Answer 8

it is callled bruxism
you can't stop him
take him to a dds or orthodontist
he will probably need to wear a night guard to prevent him from damaging his teeth by grinding
hope this helps

Answer 9

I do it too! I think theirs something the dentist can give him that he puts in his mouth at bedtime (in between the teeth). Hope this helps.

Answer 10

i used to do it when i was younger, but i grew out of it........ i am a cuple yrs older and my teeth are okay. i just need braces, because i yanked my teeth out.