Teeth grinding in children: causes and what to do?

Your child discovers new teeth in the mouth and “plays” with them. Every second baby grinds their teeth in their sleep. This grinding and clenching of the teeth, also known as bruxism, happens during the day and also while your child sleeps. Even every third adult grinds their teeth, but this is often a sign of great stress and overwork.

Why your child grinds their teeth

By the time your child is three years old, grinding and grinding their teeth is usually part of their development. So you don’t have to worry about it in the first place. At this age it is not a problem. Your child is “biting their teeth,” as dentists call it. Your child may even enjoy grinding their teeth. It finds it exciting to produce mouth sounds that are highly noticed by those around it.

When should you do something about teeth grinding in children?

However, if you have the impression that your child’s teeth are suffering a lot, then you should see a dentist. In some cases, milk tooth damage can occur due to teeth grinding. Even if your child grinds its teeth particularly hard, you should consider whether it might be under too much stress or overwhelmed. Then it is a stress valve for your child and there is a risk that the chewing muscles will be strained too much and your child will get a headache as a result. Excessive teeth grinding can also be triggered by anxiety and cigarette smoke. In any case, you should look for the causes of the mental tension.

How should you react when your child grinds their teeth?

• Observe your child: does it enjoy grinding its teeth? Then maybe it just plays with its teeth and is happy about the noises it produces.
• Don’t scold or punish your child: Teeth grinding is a natural development and it would be futile to try to break the habit in your child, especially since it often happens while they are sleeping.
• Ignore the noises: the more attention your child gets from grinding their teeth, the more fun they will have. Even if the habit is still harmless, you should not encourage your child to do it because excessive grinding of teeth can lead to milk tooth damage.
• Talk to the dentist: Tell your dentist about your child’s habit. He can advise you whether it is still harmless for the teeth, or intervene early if there is a risk of damage to the milk teeth.
• Protection for the teeth: Older children can get a bite splint from the dentist, which is intended to protect the teeth from excessive wear and tear.