Why Do Babies Grind Their Teeth At Night?

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why do babies grind their teeth at nightTeeth grinding, or bruxism (the medical term for grinding your teeth). is not a behavior unique to adults. In fact, most babies are teethers at one point in their lives. Why Do Babies Grind Their Teeth At Night? Teeth grinding is a thing that will lessen as the child gets older and will almost completely disappear when they reach their teens.

One of the most worrisome and stressful situations that parents face is that of a baby’s grinding his or her teeth at night. There is a lot of worries that accompany this.  And it often ends with parents making baseless assumptions that could cause worry.

This blog will tackle the issue of this grinding at night and will look at the reasons why babies grind their teeth at night and what we can do to help it.

Why Do Babies Grind Their Teeth At Night?

There are different possible reasons why your child might be grinding their teeth while they sleep. These include:

  • Mouth breathing is very common in children with nasal obstruction, allergies, enlarged tonsils, or adenoids. If your child has any of these symptoms, the nasal congestion may cause them to grind their teeth at night.
  • If your child is grinding their teeth while they sleep and you notice they are waking up with headaches, neck pain, or vision problems, these might be signs that your child is suffering from some kind of muscle tension. Muscle tension is thought to be one of the most common causes of bruxism
  • If your child has a speech problem such as a lisp, they may grind their teeth at night in an attempt to correct or work on it.
  • If your child grinds their teeth while sleeping, this may indicate they are under some kind of stress. Stress can be caused by family issues, school problems or other worries. Again, this is very common in children.
  • Children often grind their teeth at night when they are experiencing some kind of anxiety or excitement. For instance, many children grind their teeth at night before they have to do something important or fun.
  • If your child is grinding their teeth while sleeping, this may indicate they are about to experience some kind of pain in their body. For instance, they might grind their teeth in order to relieve toothaches or headaches.

Here You Might Read: How Many Sleep Sacks Does A Baby Need?

How do I stop my child from grinding her teeth at night?

If you are like most parents, the thought of your child grinding her teeth at night is enough to keep you up at night! While it is normal for children to grind their teeth occasionally, constant grinding can lead to problems with jaw alignment and even headaches. So what can you do to stop your child from grinding her teeth at night? Here are a few tips.

Powering Through the Night

The first thing to do is determine what’s causing your child to grind her teeth. Some common causes of grinding are stress, anxiety, lack of sleep or disrupted sleep. To make sure that your child isn’t grinding her teeth out of stress or anxiety, talk about his day. If he is always extremely excited to go to school, there’s probably no need to worry.

But if he seems stressed out or anxious about something (like trying to keep up with schoolwork or meeting new friends) then try and help him solve the problem. It may be as simple as his needing more time to complete the homework or encouragement to speak with a teacher or school counselor.

Sleeping Routine

If you determine that your child is grinding for other reasons, the next step is to work on establishing a regular sleeping routine. Having a set bedtime and trying to stick to it as closely as possible will help your child get a deep sleep that she needs. It is also important that your child’s bedtime routine is not just an hour dedicated to brushing teeth and doing other “sleep hygiene” behaviors. 

Sleep Quality

Once your child’s bedtime routine is in place it’s time to work on sleep quality. Now, this may seem a bit counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to prevent your child from grinding teeth at night is to give a massage.

If your child is really tense from the day, the gentle pressure of a massage will soothe his muscles. If he is still agitated after a massage, have brushed their teeth and then go right to bed. Don’t let your kid do any “sleep hygiene” until he is really tired.

If your child still grinds her teeth at night, it might be time to visit the dentist. He may be grinding because of some discomfort or other problem with his teeth. Your dentist can examine your child’s mouth and see if there is anything she can do to help.

Is it normal for baby to grind their teeth?

Grinding of teeth in the child is not just a normal phenomenon. It may be associated with an underlying problem. There are two types of teeth grinding in children. The first one is developmental and requires no treatment. The second type may be associated with discomfort or pain and requires treatment.

If your baby is grinding their teeth excessively, there might be an underlying issue that you need to address.  In the case of your child, consult a pediatric dentist or any dentist to know the underlying cause and get the right treatment.

Conclusion

Why Do Babies Grind Their Teeth At Night? Believe it or not, this is a common occurrence and there is usually an explanation for it. Because grinding teeth while sleeping is very common in children. Because there are so many different possible causes for it. 

We recommend that you try to identify why your child grinds their teeth while sleeping. This way you’ll know what treatment is required in order to help them stop grinding their teeth at night.

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