Nobody likes to hear the creaking of a floorboard or door in the middle of the night. However, for parents, there is a much more distressing form of creaking that sometimes keeps them up at night—the creaking of their child's teeth as they grind for all they are worth.
It sounds like your child is trying to crush rocks between their teeth as they sleep, and it can't be good for their teeth. But is it normal?
Is Nocturnal Grinding Common in Children?
Sleep bruxism affects children of all ages. One study in Brazil found that 35.3% of children aged from 7-10 suffered from bruxism, and another study in the US came up with a similar number for nocturnal grinding in preschoolers (36.8%).
Nocturnal tooth grinding, also known as "sleep-bruxism", wears teeth out over time, stunting them and even breaking them in some cases. That's why it is important that you as a parent try to do something about it.
Why Do Children Grind Their Teeth?
It isn't exactly clear why children grind their teeth although it could be related to stress, hyperactivity or pain due to the misalignment of teeth. Bruxism is also known to be more common in children that breathe through their mouths during sleep. However, most children tend to grow out of it.
In the meantime, the best thing you can do is to try to gently help your child to stop grinding their teeth. Continued grinding will wear teeth out, and while young children will lose their first set of milk teeth anyway, it is still a good idea for you to do all you can to stop it if possible.
Schedule a Dental Appointment First
Sometimes children grind their teeth in their sleep because their teeth are not comfortably aligned. If one or more teeth are causing them discomfort, then this could be the cause. A dental examination will help you to determine if this is at the root of the problem.
However, unless the problem is severe and happens daily, most dentists will tell you that it is normal and that your child will grow out of it.
If the grinding is severe, it is likely that your child's teeth will suffer in the long run. In this case, your dentist can create a custom night guard which you can fit over your child's teeth before they go to bed at night. They may not like it at first, but if you gently explain to them the dangers of tooth grinding then they may begin to accept the mouth guard.
Make Sure Your Child is Relaxed before Bed
If the grinding is stress related, which you won't know until you have observed your child for a while, then it will help to relax your child before they settle down to sleep.
Bedtime stories, soft music, warm milk and even gentle, soothing scents such as lavender are all proven relaxation methods that you can utilize to help your child relax at bedtime.
Above all, understand that your child has no choice in the matter. They are asleep when it happens after all. Be gentle and work with them, not against them, and with a little help from a dentist (like one from The Happy Tooth Kurri Kurri)—if needed, the grinding should eventually stop.
