Childhood is completely filled with various activities, which makes this journey of life more enjoyable and beautiful. Conversely, stress and anxiety can create the worst memories of one’s childhood. These conditions can also lead to night grinding of teeth/clenching or more precisely Bruxism in the little champs.
Lets understand what exactly bruxism is and why it happens
Bruxism is when children clench or grind their teeth unconsciously. Teeth grinding can also occur in day hours depends upon the underlying cause.
There are plethora of reasons behind it such as :
1.Newly erupting tooth-
Eruption of new tooth can cause irritation to gum, which in turns produce of clenching/grinding.
2.Malalignment of teeth-
Improper alignment of teeth or jaw also leads to Bruxism by being a constant irritation. Such conditions required professional attention at the earliest possible because it can wear off the protective enamel (outer layer of tooth) and will increase the chances of caries and sensitivity.
3.Playing aggressive video games- In this era, most of the juniors prefer video games over outdoor activities. According to the studies, this continous stress/strain caused by watching screen for longer hours can cause bruxism in the children.
4. Medical conditions- Certain medical conditions such as ADHD(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) can cause unintentional grinding of teeth under the influence of subconscious brain.
5. Trauma or stress- Children can grind their teeth in sleep under the influence of social environment like when they are maltreated, feel unloved, when they are bullied or rejected by other children.
Signs of childhood bruxism
The signs and symptoms can vary child to child but mostly including the jaw pain or stiffness of jaw muscles on waking up in the morning, headaches, tooth hypersensitivity, attrition of teeth surfaces and restless sleep patterns.
How to prevent the condition?
This condition can be prevented by implementing simple lifestyle changes such as reducing stressors before bed time through relaxation techniques or creating a calm sleeping environment for the young ones.
Practicing good oral hygiene and regular dental check up can prevent and helps in early identifying the condition.
Treatment for night grinding depends upon the severity of condition. For mild night grinding cases reassurance and monitoring is sufficient.
For moderate cases wearing night guards or splints can be helpful and in worst/severe cases medical help can be taken by discussing it with Pedodontist and pediatrician.
Conclusion-
By understanding the cause why kids are grinding their teeth and checking for signs and symptoms, parents can take proactive steps towards prevention of the condition and seeking appropriate treatment if needed. Help of the dental professionals can be offer to such children for getting those innocent smiles back.