Children Bruxism (Teeth Grinding) – Causes Symptoms Treatment and Prevention Guide
“Teeth Grinding is a common problem seen in many children, as a parent and care takers we need to understand what exactly bruxism is, and upon understanding the causes in child and properly checking on the symptoms, one should take proper care for further prevention and cure of this teeth grinding habits. Below is a comprehensive yet simple guide that may help..”
About Bruxism
Bruxism is the medical term for the grinding of teeth or the clenching of jaws unintentionally, and at inappropriate times. This condition usually occurs to children during deep sleep or while under stress. The word bruxism comes from the Greek word ‘brychein’, which means to gnash the teeth. This condition is seen in both kids and adults. However, it is more prevalent in childern. It usually begins as soon as a child’s upper and lower teeth have come through the gums. Childhood bruxism is outgrown by adolescence.
This happens with the loss of the baby teeth as the permanent teeth are much more sensitive to pain. Around this rate decreases with age, 8 per cent of young to middle aged adults have it. In some cases where the onset is due to stress, it continues until the stress is relieved. Some people with bruxism unconsciously clench their teeth together during the day, often when they feel anxious or tense. Frequently, this grinding also occurs while one is sleeping or in the early part of the night. This is called sleep bruxism. This biting force during sleep is sometimes seen to be six times greater than the pressure during waking hours.
12 Core Symptoms
Each individual experiences the symptoms differently. Symptoms may include :
- Abraded teeth
- Mouth and facial pain
- Over-sensitive teeth
- Tense facial and jaw muscles
- Headaches
- Dislocation of the jaw
- Damage to the tooth enamel, exposing the inside of the tooth (dentin)
- Tongue indentations
- Tooth pain
- Limited jaw movement
- Damaged or worn teeth
- Sore gums
Diagnosis
In children, bruxism is a passing phenomenon. Grinding of teeth is seen as a response to relieve pain or discomfort arising from ailments, like colds or ear infections. Thus, there are no adverse effects to their teeth. In adults, it is a subconscious behavior. Many do not even realize they are doing it. But severe bruxism may briefly disturb your sleep. Rarely does it cause you to wake up fully. Usually, the partner complains or makes a note of the problem. If bruxism is mild, treatment may not even be required. If clenching continues without treatment, the teeth could become pain-sensitive and destroyed if so much that the nerve and blood vessels in the center of the tooth are exposed to air as teeth crumble under biting stress. At times, it leads to frequent, violent jaw disorders, headaches, damaged teeth and related problems. To diagnose, visit your dentist regularly. Your teeth are examined for evidence if bruxism: The tips of the teeth may be observed for the changes over several visits before a treatment program is established.
Causes
The cause or causes of bruxism remain unclear. Some dentists say it is due to a lack of symmetry in the teeth. Mental health professionals relate it to anxiety, stress or disturbed sleep patterns. Your child may be worrying about an exam at school or experiencing a change in routine (a new sibling or a new teacher). Arguing with parents and siblings can cause enough stress to prompt teeth grinding or jaw clenching. Some children who are hyperactive also experience bruxism. Usually bruxism occurs in simultaneous conditions of emotional stress and accusal disharmony (where teeth do not bite down on each other correctly). Other psychological causes are emotional stress, fatigue, sleep disorders, alcohol or drug abuse. The personality type could raise the chance of having bruxism. Studies say people who are highly motivated and driven, as well as the ones who use cigarettes or caffeine before sleep may experience increase in tooth grinding.
Prevention
Some bruxism is a child’s natural reaction to growth and development, most cases can’t be prevented. Stress-induced teeth grinding can be avoided by talking with children/adults regularly about their feelings and helping them deal with stresses in their life.
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no accepted cure or special treatment yet. If you suspect that you or your child suffers from bruxism, do consult s dentist/mental health professional. They can tell you if the symptoms are in fact due to bruxism.
Here are a few things you can do:
- Damaged teeth can be repaired by replacing the worn natural crown of the tooth with am artificial crown.
- Reducing stress and anxiety before bedtime, by a winding down activity, like a massage, meditation or reading, and eating early enough to ensure a fairly empty stomach at bedtime may also help teeth grinding.
- In the case of adults, reducing alcohol intake is also advisable, since alcohol has been shown to worsen bruxism.
- If a tense jaw is experienced during wakefulness, some sufferers find it helpful to gently press their jaws open with fingertip pressure, to relax the affected muscles much as one would treat a leg cramp. But in this case, it is important to take care not to overextend the jaw joint.
- Manage the stress levels in your daily life. Monitoring and controlling the stress can often reduce bruxism dramatically.
- For bruxism that is caused by stress in children, one needs to find out what’s upsetting your child is worried about exams he might need reassurance and support from his parents regarding his fears.
- Behavior modification can help. Teaching the patient how to rest his/her tongue, teeth, and lips properly, and learning how to rest the tongue upward may relieve discomfort on the jaw while keeping the teeth apart and lips closed.
- Mouthpiece: A specially fitted plastic mouth appliance may be worn at night to absorb the force of biting. This appliance may help to prevent future damage to the teeth and aid in changing the person’s behavior.
- Relaxation training and biofeedback may also be helpful.
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