Do you need to stop teeth grinding in small children and will there be any permanent damage? When a child is young, many things are changing rapidly in their bodies. This includes teeth that are growing and breaking through the skin that can be very annoying. If your small child grinds their teeth at night, it is nothing to be alarmed about as it is quite common. Once the teeth are in place and the child is a little older, the problem often naturally goes away as there is less irritation during the night.
At what age then does teeth grinding become a problem? The answer to that question depends on what age the child is. The older the child, the more of a problem it might be. It is not common for older children to grind their teeth and if yours does then it could be a good thing to go see a dentist. You want to try to stop the habit before any real damage occurs.
If you suspect your child has been grinding their teeth for too long a period, a trip to your pediatrician may be in order. You must know though that there is no specific cure for bruxism (grinding teeth) so you doctor may not be able to pinpoint the reason or give you a cure. Every child is different and if yours still grinds their teeth past the point where they should have stopped, you may have to try many different things including getting a mouth guard.
Most adults that have bruxism are told they may have it by their dentists who notice the loss of enamel and the wear on the top of their teeth from years of grinding. A habit like grinding teeth may not show up for years in an adult because the teeth are pretty strong and it may have to be a spouse that hears the grinding at night for you to know about it. If a spouse doesnt notice it then eventually a dentist will when the signs of grinding become more visible.
With a child this wear to the teeth may not have time to show up because there is no evidence of it yet. Parents of small children are usually the only ones who know it is happening as they can hear their child grind while they sleep. If you are a parent who suspects you child may be grinding their teeth, you should talk to your childs doctor to see if there is anything he might suggest to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.
At what age then does teeth grinding become a problem? The answer to that question depends on what age the child is. The older the child, the more of a problem it might be. It is not common for older children to grind their teeth and if yours does then it could be a good thing to go see a dentist. You want to try to stop the habit before any real damage occurs.
If you suspect your child has been grinding their teeth for too long a period, a trip to your pediatrician may be in order. You must know though that there is no specific cure for bruxism (grinding teeth) so you doctor may not be able to pinpoint the reason or give you a cure. Every child is different and if yours still grinds their teeth past the point where they should have stopped, you may have to try many different things including getting a mouth guard.
Most adults that have bruxism are told they may have it by their dentists who notice the loss of enamel and the wear on the top of their teeth from years of grinding. A habit like grinding teeth may not show up for years in an adult because the teeth are pretty strong and it may have to be a spouse that hears the grinding at night for you to know about it. If a spouse doesnt notice it then eventually a dentist will when the signs of grinding become more visible.
With a child this wear to the teeth may not have time to show up because there is no evidence of it yet. Parents of small children are usually the only ones who know it is happening as they can hear their child grind while they sleep. If you are a parent who suspects you child may be grinding their teeth, you should talk to your childs doctor to see if there is anything he might suggest to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.
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