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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums

How to Stop a Child from Grinding Their Teeth at Night; Tooth Decay and its Perils

“Oh! How horrified I felt that day when my son was in great pain. He couldn’t sleep all night.” When I asked his mother for knowing the reason behind the chronic pain in his teeth, she told me that Sam’s habit of chewing gum and frequent grinding of a molar tooth is behind it.

“As a father, I didn’t sleep that night and tried to avail online-consultation from the best dentist, but even this slight effort went in vain because the effect of pain took an entire night to go away.”

This is the plight of many parents who are experiencing their kids losing their teeth. This is due to gradual decay and damage that happens because of bad oral habits.

Why do kids clinch their teeth?

  • Most kids are habitual of grinding and clenching the upper jaw or lower jaw tooth when the food particles get stuck at it. Owing to a vulnerable age and being a bit lazy, they perceive that grinding of the tooth deposited with food particles might let it go away. Perhaps this is the point where decaying of tooth and tooth pain emerges from this cause.
  • In terms of medical sciences, Bruxism is the name given to teeth grinding that causes several oral health complications.

Reasons of Why Kids Grind their teeth

  • In most adults, teeth grinding occurs due to anxiety and stress, but what it has to do with kids, because their life is carefree.
  • Many reputed dental organizations have found that kids below 12 years of age grind their teeth because of the abnormal bite or crooked teeth.
  • If your kid doesn’t sleep early at night and as a parent, if you have observed the disoriented pattern in his sleeping hours, then it might be the reason for causing sleep disorder.
  • It is often assumed that kids grind their teeth while sleeping.

How To Find If Your Child Grinds Their Teeth?

  • From the facts inscribed in the medical sciences, it has become quite evident that grinding usually occurs during sleep. Most kids aren’t even aware that to reduce/remove pain, they grind their teeth.
  • In a few cases, children have shown early symptoms of Bruxism. For example, when children wake-up feeling a constant headache or find soreness in their jaws.
  • Children are often told by their mothers or siblings that they grind their teeth as they hear the grinding at night.
  • If you have been hearing the echo of grinding, then consult a dentist before it’s too late. It is crucial to early diagnosis and examination of mouth and jaws, and for analyzing the effects of Bruxism like jaw tenderness and excessive wear on teeth. This could save a child’s teeth from getting fixed with root canals.

Is Teeth Grinding Worrisome or Merely An Acute Pain?

  • From the dental facts, it is revealed that fracturing of the teeth structure or even loss of the molar tooth is the impact of teeth grinding.
  • The frequent grinding of teeth causes chronic pain responsible for wearing teeth down to stumps. During the time of occurrence of these events, bridges, crowns, dental implants, and even root canals to fix the teeth’s structure from further disorientation.
  • Besides, loosening the tooth, grinding damages the jaws and often affects the appearance of the face too.

How to Combat and Limit Teeth Grinding

  • Avail a mouth guard for your kid because it will protect your tiny tot’s teeth from getting ground further during sleep.
  • For some time, avoid giving your kids all those foods and drinks that contain caffeine like colas, chocolate, and coffee.
  • Stop your child from chewing on pencils, pens, or even nails because only then the jaw muscles of your child would not use more clenching.
  • There is another alternative that can prove more helpful in easing the pain of the loss of teeth.

To accurately diagnose your child’s dental issues, always consult your nearest dentist and take timely care of your child.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.