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Tooth Grinding Ways to Halt the Gnashing

Ways to Halt the Gnashing

The first hint that your child is a tooth grinder may be audible in the middle of the night. If you hear a mysterious sort ofgritting noise coming from your child's room, you'd better investigate.

About 50 percent of kids grind their teeth at some time, says Jed Best, D.D.S., a pediatric dentist and assistant clinical professor of pediatric dentistry at Columbia University School of Dentistry in New York City. For most kids, occasional grinding--also called bruxism--causes no problems, and many children outgrow the habit.

But during acute episodes, a child may wake up in the morning with a headache, a toothache or even an aching face. This can be serious business. 'If tooth grinding persists for months and years, the teeth can actually wear down,' says Luke Matranga, D.D.S., president of the Academy of General Dentistry and chairman of the Department of Comprehensive Dental Care at Creighton University Dental School in Omaha. There can also be damage to the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint where the jawbone is 'hinged' to the side of the head.

Experts say if your child's grinding is persistent, you should consult with your dentist, who may make your child a special mouth splint to keep the teeth apart. If your child grinds his teeth only occasionally, however, you can try these remedies from the experts, or you may want to try them in addition to the mouth splint.

Give the jaw a rest. Any time your child is not chewing, swallowing or speaking, the upper and lower teeth should not meet, says Steven Vincent, D.D.S., associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City. If the teeth are meeting, this is clenching, and it's just one step away from grinding. Explain this to your child, and ask him to try to keep his teeth just slightly apart when relaxed.

Encourage exercise. Regular exercise may help your child relieve stress and muscular tension, which in susceptible individuals could be the cause of nighttime tooth grinding, says Bernadette Jaeger, D.D.S., adjunct associate professor in the Section of Orofacial Pain and Occlusion in the School of Dentistry at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Slow down just before bedtime. No more wrestling, tag or other rowdy activities just before bedtime. 'Tight muscles need time to relax before your child goes to sleep,' says Edward Grace, D.D.S., director of behavioral sciences at the University of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore. 'Make the hour before bedtime reasonably quiet.' This is a good time to read a story to your child or encourage him to read or look at a picture book.

Try an early-to-bed treatment. ' Your child may be overtired--and that can trigger tooth grinding during sleep,' says Dr. Grace. An earlier bedtime may help. 'If your child usually goes to bed at 9:00 P.M., try having him go to bed at 8:00 P.M.'

Skip the bedtime snack. If digestive juices are working the midnight shift, they could be making your child more tense during sleep. 'Don't let your child eat or drink anything except water within an hour before bedtime,' advises Dr. Grace.

Talk out your child's problems. If your child is worried about a troublesome homework assignment or an upcoming school play, that may be causing her to grind her teeth during the night. 'If something is bothering your child, don't let her take it to bed with her,' says Dr. Grace. 'Simply talking it out often helps reduce the worry.' As a part of the tucking-in routine, have a five-or ten-minute chat with your child before she goes to sleep.

Apply warm, wet compresses. If your child's jaw aches in the morning, dip a washcloth in warm water, wring it out and apply it to her jaw until she feels better, says John Bogert, D.D.S., pediatric dentist and executive director of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in Chicago. This may help soothe the pain.