Why does my infant and 8 month old grind their teeth?

 

Possible reasons why infants grinds their teeth;

What does it indicate when infants starts grinding their teeth ? there may be multiple reasons that may contribute to the development of bruxism, and there are various causes for tooth grinding in infants.

Teeth Grinder a Baby

Grinding of the teeth is not a symptom that your baby is having worms in their gut, contrary to popular belief. It’s one of the strange issues that sometimes arise during NREM sleep.

How long does baby teeth grinding last?

The habit of teeth grinding often disappears by the time teenagers are in their teens. Children who are taking medications to treat ADHD are more likely to grind their teeth.

 

 

So Why Do Infants or 8 year old  Grind Their Teeth (Possible Reasons)

Bruxism:- which is also known as teeth grinding, may begin as early as during your child’s first birthday, and usually leads to headaches, jaw discomfort, and breaking of the teeth. Caffeine in food or drinks (chocolate, iced tea, cola, etc.) and physical discomfort (ear-ache, teething) are the two main factors that triggers this. Malocclusion, which occurs mainly when a child’s teeth are out of place may be another possible reason why your child is grinding his or her teeth.

It could also be that your child inherited this from either of you parents. And children with apparent neurological problems like cerebral palsy are disproportionately affected.

When children comes to teens stage, that is the age when children stop grinding their teeth. But stress-reducing activities before they go to bed may be of good aid. When trying to make your kid to sleep at night, you might discover that it might take a while as we cant really tell what baby might be thinking about at that hour try techniques like the white noise, stuffed animals, books, lullabies, lavender, and soothing words. A pacifier will also be good to use at this stage.  

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Can a baby’s teeth be harmed by teeth grinding?

If you are anxious, meet your child’s dentist or doctor, as it is the safest thing to do in any situation, and to safeguard your child’s teeth from harm. A medical professional may advise that your kid uses a mouth guard. He may also recommend that you get ibuprofen or acetaminophen if they finds out that your child’s teeth grinding at night is caused by teething or an ear infection.

But children whose teeth are not straight will have to endure the discomfort or distress for some time. 

But this should not be a big cause for alarm, it is nothing out of the ordinary. In  majority cases, there is nothing bad happening to your kid, and the symptoms will fade and go away by themselves in due time. However, there are few methods listed below that can be helpful in order to reduce or prevent teeth grinding.

 What vitamin deficiency causes baby grinding teeth?

There are several possible causes of bruxism, including nutritional deficiencies. Supplements containing Vitamin B5, calcium, and magnesium may be helpful.

 

Should I be worried about baby grinding teeth?

Infants typically grow out of grinding their teeth because there are not many consequences for them.

 

How to Detect Teeth Grinding;

If your baby has bruxism, when they sleep you will notice them grinding their teeth in their sleep too much. And if they are awake during the day, you may observe them doing some actions that are reflected by comfortability  

Bruxism Can Lead to Many Issues

 

if you went out in a stroller and your baby is sleeping, you may not easily see that your child is bruxing his or her teeth . So your baby’s teeth should be examined by a pediatric dentist to look for signs of bruxism.

Does grinding teeth mean teething?

In addition to grinding their teeth at night, babies may grind their teeth while awake. A fairly common dental issue is teeth grinding - called bruxism. Experts estimate that 20 to 30 percent of children grind their teeth or clench their jaws, often while sleeping or under stress.

 

Do babies grind their teeth when they have worms?

A study found that bruxism was more prevalent when intestinal parasites were present. In the current stage of research, it is unclear whether parasites is the cause.

 

 

Some of the short-term consequences of infant bruxism are:

·       It may occur that your child will have an earache or headache symptoms.

·       Stiffness and also sourness in the child muscles are the result of increased pressure brought on by clenching one’s jaw.

·       Grinding of their teeth may shorten the life of their tooth enamel and this way it may increase their sensitivity. (They may become more sensible to hot and cold foods and drinks)

·       Your baby may be having difficulty in eating or chewing food because of the hurt.

Some of the long-term consequences of infant teething and grinding are:

·       Your baby’s teeth may possibly chip if they keep clenching and grinding them, because this wears away the protective enamel.

·       It may also result to all the tooth been flattened.

·       distress and stiffness in the jaw, from a condition known as temporomandibular joint disease (TMD), may make eating and talking a chore. Chronic teeth grinding in children might lead to temporomandibular joint disorder.

·       We may relax and bother little knowing that bruxism is not a serious case. Because children gradually outgrow teeth grinding stage, but it is advised to notice fast and act early to minimize the result of any tooth damaging, it might not be a serious health issue to your child in most circumstances, but in any way you can help your baby get a better night sleep by using a few aiding techniques.

Help soothe sore gums by giving your child a teeth biting toy. There are varieties of teeths made of rubber, soft wood, and even ice, which have been known to be good calming aid for teething babies. Alternatively, you could also try out some DIY techniques, like giving your child a cold, moist towel to bite on.

How Long-Term Bruxism Is Handled;

As it has been said that it is normal for your child to clench or grind his or her teeth? But it will also be a benefiting idea seeing a pediatric dentist first, especially if your child happens to be a a chronic teeth grinder. if it is in any way chronic, your child may acquire TMJ from teeth grinding and will have to be therapized. So injuries that could be acquired may be broken teeth or swollen gums, aches and pains, earaches, and headaches in the temples and which are also treatable. 

Planning to Visit the Dentist;

It is very possible that bruxism is acquired to certain infants. So fortunately, bruxism is not harmful and often resolves on its own after a period of time or season has passed. Your child will not have to wear sleep guards to prevent them from teeth grinding as many people do since they are still developing and growing.

Although hearing your child grinding his or her teeth at night especially, is distressing, but know that this is a normal developmental stage and that it will pass and fade away when new teeth starts coming in.

Note to talk to your child’s pediatric dentist if you’re worried about your baby. They can provide you with individualized guidance and ensure that your child’s teeth and jaw are developing normally.