Have you ever heard your child grind her teeth or seen her clench her jaw? I heard my son grinding his teeth the other night and wondered if he was going to have any baby teeth left! I cringed: was he under stress at just 5 years old?!
Medically, this gesture is called “Bruxism”. Just so you know, approximately 15% to 33% of children grind their teeth (maybe, it seems their is some disagreement about prevalence because the studies rely too much on parent surveys). There are two kinds of Bruxism, awake and asleep. The sleep version is actually considered a type of sleep disorder.
Relax, preschool kids usually grow out of it. For older kids, you may need dental interventions.
Why children grind their teeth and clench their jaws can be for any number of reasons:
- they do it because they are having some kind of pain: either teething or earaches
- they might be under stress
- a hyperactive child might be more likely to grind teeth (It’s associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD))
- their teeth aren’t aligned properly and don’t feel like they “fit” right so they grind away
- there is some evidence that allergies play a role
- there is also some evidence that pinworms play a role
- they are losing baby teeth and gaining adult teeth
- they may be dehydrated (especially in the summer months)
- they have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
If it is something like GERD, see a doctor to discuss treating the problem. Otherwise, it’s always a good idea to use common stress reduction like exercise and breathing. You can do jaw messages if it is causing headaches. Adults can do things like biofeedback and botox–obviously not something that works for kids.
As always, this is not medical advice, we can’t do that! See your doctor! This is just what we found researching ourselves. Good luck!